Passenger compartment interior lighting system

Abstract

To provide a passenger compartment interior lighting system which can ease fatigue of eyes of an occupant caused when the occupant views a display in a passenger compartment.SOLUTION: A passenger compartment interior lighting system 1 includes: a display 3 installed in a passenger compartment 2a and having a display part 3a; and a lighting device 4 installed in the passenger compartment 2a. The lighting device 4 radiates light so as to light a peripheral area located at the outer side relative to the display part 3a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle interior lighting system. [Background technology]

[0002] A display having display and operation functions for various systems such as a car navigation system or an audio system is installed in the front part of the interior of an automobile (Patent Document 1). For example, the display in the interior of the vehicle is embedded in the center of the dashboard or is installed upright on the dashboard. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-180240 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, vehicle occupants view the display in a dark environment inside the vehicle. This causes eye fatigue due to the difference in brightness between the display's display area (display luminance) and the brightness inside the vehicle (surrounding environment luminance). This difference in brightness is particularly large at night, causing increased eye fatigue. Furthermore, eye fatigue for drivers may make it difficult for them to drive the vehicle safely.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle interior lighting system that can alleviate eye strain caused by viewing a display inside the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the vehicle interior lighting system according to the present invention comprises a display installed in the vehicle interior and having a display unit, and a lighting device installed in the vehicle interior, the lighting device emitting light so as to illuminate a peripheral area located outside the display unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce eye strain that occurs to occupants when viewing a display inside the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle in a vehicle interior lighting system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of an automobile in the vehicle interior lighting system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the area around the dashboard of an automobile in the vehicle interior lighting system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state when the lighting device is turned on in the vehicle interior lighting system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the area around the dashboard of an automobile in a vehicle interior lighting system according to the first modification. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state when the lighting device is turned on in the vehicle interior lighting system according to the second modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of the components, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims that represent the highest concept of the present invention will be described as optional components.

[0010] The drawings are schematic diagrams and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Therefore, the scales of the drawings are not necessarily the same. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote substantially the same components, and redundant explanations will be omitted or simplified.

[0011] In this specification, "forward" refers to the direction of travel when the vehicle is moving forward, "rearward" refers to the direction of travel when the vehicle is moving backward, the direction to the right (right side) when the vehicle is moving forward is the "right direction", the direction to the left (left direction) when the vehicle is moving forward is the "left direction", the ceiling side of the vehicle is the "above" or "upper side", and the floor side of the vehicle is the "below" or "lower side". Note that in this specification, the terms "above" and "below" do not refer to the up direction (vertically upward) and down direction (vertically downward) in absolute spatial recognition, but may be used as terms defined by relative positional relationships.

[0012] (Embodiment) An interior lighting system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a top view of an automobile 2 in the interior lighting system 1 according to the embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the automobile 2. Fig. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure around a dashboard 70 of the automobile 2.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle interior lighting system 1 includes an automobile 2, a display 3 installed in the automobile 2, and a lighting device 4 installed in the automobile 2.

[0014] The automobile 2 is an example of a moving body and includes a vehicle having a passenger compartment 2a. The passenger compartment 2a in the automobile 2 is made up of a plurality of interior lining members. The passenger compartment 2a has a ceiling 10, a floor 20, a pillar trim 30, and a door trim 40 as the plurality of interior lining members.

[0015] The automobile 2 has a front door 51 and a rear door 52. Passengers can get in and out of the vehicle compartment 2a by opening and closing the front door 51 or the rear door 52. Each of the front door 51 and the rear door 52 is provided with a window glass.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle interior 2a is provided with seats 60 for occupants. Specifically, the vehicle interior 2a is provided with the plurality of seats 60, including a front seat 61 and a rear seat 62. The front seat 61 is a front seat provided in the front of the vehicle interior 2a, and includes a driver's seat 61a where the driver sits and a passenger seat 61b located next to the driver's seat 61a. In this embodiment, since the steering wheel is provided on the right side, the driver's seat 61a is located on the right side, and the passenger seat 61b is located on the left side. The rear seat 62 is a rear seat provided in the rear of the vehicle interior 2a. The rear seat 62 can accommodate two or three passengers. Each seat portion of the plurality of seats 60 has a front end portion located on the vehicle front side and a pair of side ends located in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, the ceiling 10 is a roof trim. Specifically, the ceiling 10 is a headlining. The ceiling 10 is fixed to the roof 2b of the automobile 2. In this case, the ceiling 10 may be directly attached to the inner surface of the roof 2b, or may be installed by being suspended from the roof 2b.

[0018] The floor 20 is a floor trim. Specifically, the floor 20 is a floor carpet fixed to a frame that constitutes the body framework of the automobile (vehicle) 2. Although not shown, a floor mat is laid on the floor 20.

[0019] 1 and 2, the pillar trim 30 is made up of multiple pillars. Specifically, the pillar trim 30 has an A-pillar 31, which is a front pillar provided next to the windshield, and a B-pillar 32, which is a central pillar provided between a front seat 61 and a rear seat 62. The pillar trim 30 may further have a C-pillar and a D-pillar provided diagonally behind the rear seat 62.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the door trim 40 is a lining member that covers the door panels of the front door 51 and the rear door 52. The door trim 40, which forms the inner surface of the front door 51 and the rear door 52, is fabricated with an uneven portion (uneven structure) having an uneven shape. One or more functional parts are provided in the uneven portion of the door trim 40. Specifically, the uneven portion of the door trim 40 is provided with an armrest, an operation switch (operation button), a cup holder, a door handle, and a storage space as the functional parts. The operation switch is, for example, an opening / closing switch for opening and closing the window glass. Note that the front door 51 of the driver's seat 61a is provided with various switches other than the opening / closing switch as operation switches.

[0021] 1 and 2, a dashboard 70 is provided in the passenger compartment 2a of the automobile 2. The dashboard 70 is provided in the front portion of the passenger compartment 2a. A steering wheel and the like operated by the driver are provided on the driver's seat 61a side of the dashboard 70. A display that displays instruments such as a speedometer is also provided on the driver's seat 61a side of the dashboard 70. A storage box is provided on the passenger seat 61b side of the dashboard 70.

[0022] The display 3 is an in-vehicle display installed in the vehicle interior 2a, and has a display unit 3a as shown in Fig. 3. The display 3 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The display 3 may also function as a touch panel to enable touch operation.

[0023] The display 3 has display and operation functions for various systems such as a car navigation system or an audio system. The display unit 3a of the display 3 is a display screen that displays output images from various systems. The display unit 3a also functions as a GUI (Graphical User Interface) input means for operating various systems by touch operation by an occupant. The display 3 is primarily operated by the driver seated in the driver's seat 61a, but may also be operated by another occupant, such as the occupant seated in the passenger seat 61b.

[0024] 3, in this embodiment, the display 3 is provided upright on the upper surface of the dashboard 70. In other words, the display 3 is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of the dashboard 70.

[0025] The lighting device 4 is an interior lighting device installed in the vehicle interior 2a. The lighting device 4 is a lighting fixture having a light source (not shown) and emits illumination light. The light source used in the lighting device 4 is, for example, an LED light source configured with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Therefore, the lighting device 4 is an LED lighting device. The LED light source has, for example, a mounting substrate such as a PCB substrate and one or more LED elements mounted on the mounting substrate. The lighting device 4 has a housing that houses the LED light source, and light emitted from the LED light source is irradiated onto a predetermined illumination area through an opening in the housing as illumination light for the lighting device 4. The illumination light emitted from the lighting device 4 (LED light source) is white light, but is not limited to this.

[0026] In this embodiment, the lighting device 4 is a light-guiding type lighting fixture using a light-guiding member, and includes an LED light source and a light-guiding rod into which light emitted from the LED light source enters. The light-guiding rod has a side surface from which light guided through the light-guiding rod exits to the outside. The light-guiding rod is, for example, a cylindrical light-guiding body. The light-guiding rod is made of, for example, a transparent resin material or a transparent glass material. The transparent resin material that makes up the light-guiding rod can be polycarbonate resin, fluororesin, acrylic resin, or the like.

[0027] The lighting device 4 emits light to illuminate a peripheral area located outside the display unit 3a of the display 3. In this embodiment, the lighting device 4 emits light to illuminate a peripheral area located outside the display 3. In other words, the lighting device 4 emits light to a peripheral area outside the outer member of the display 3.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the lighting device 4 is installed behind the display 3, and the lighting device 4 irradiates light onto an area wider than the back surface of the display 3. Therefore, a portion of the light emitted from the lighting device 4 is blocked by the display 3, while another portion of the light emitted from the lighting device 4 is not blocked by the display 3 and travels toward the occupant from the display 3. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4 , the light emitted from the lighting device 4 travels while leaking out from the peripheral area outside the outer casing of the display 3, brightly illuminating the spatial area around the display 3. As a result, when the display 3 is viewed from the front, the peripheral area outside the display 3 is dimly illuminated. Note that FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to this embodiment when the lighting device 4 shown in FIG. 3 is turned on.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, a cover 5 that covers the lighting device 4 is provided on the dashboard 70. The cover 5 is a light-blocking cover made of resin or metal. The cover 5 covers the portion of the lighting device 4 on the windshield side. Specifically, the cover 5 covers an upper portion of the lighting device 4 and a portion of the lighting device 4 on the front side of the vehicle. This allows the cover 5 to block light that is emitted from the lighting device 4 and travels toward the windshield side.

[0030] As described above, the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to this embodiment is installed in the vehicle interior 2a and includes the display 3 having the display unit 3a, and the lighting device 4 installed in the vehicle interior 2a. The lighting device 4 emits light so as to illuminate a peripheral area located outside the display unit 3a of the display 3.

[0031] With this configuration, the surrounding area outside the display unit 3a of the display 3 is brightened, thereby reducing the difference in brightness between the brightness of the display unit 3a (display luminance) and the brightness of the surrounding area outside the display unit 3a (ambient luminance). This reduces eye fatigue felt by occupants looking at the display 3. As described above, the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to this embodiment can reduce eye fatigue felt by occupants looking at the display 3. In particular, since the difference in luminance between the display unit 3a and its surrounding area can be reduced even in dark environments such as at night, eye fatigue of occupants can be effectively reduced. Furthermore, the reduction in eye fatigue allows the driver to drive the automobile 2 safely. Furthermore, bright illumination of the area around the display 3 can create a high-quality space inside the vehicle interior 2a.

[0032] In the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to this embodiment, the lighting device 4 emits light so as to illuminate a peripheral area located outside the display 3 itself. Specifically, the display 3 is provided upright on the top surface of the dashboard 70, and the lighting device 4 is installed behind the display 3. The lighting device 4 then emits light directly toward the back surface of the display 3.

[0033] With this configuration, the light emitted from the illumination device 4 is blocked by the display 3, and the surrounding area outside the display 3 is dimly illuminated. This effectively reduces the difference in brightness between the brightness of the display section 3a of the display 3 and the brightness of the surrounding area outside the display section 3a.

[0034] In the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to this embodiment, a cover 5 that covers the lighting device 4 is provided on the dashboard 70.

[0035] With this configuration, the cover 5 can block light emitted from the lighting device 4 that travels toward the windshield, preventing the light emitted from the lighting device 4 from being reflected on the windshield. This prevents the driver's visibility from being impaired by light reflected on the windshield. This allows the driver to drive the automobile 2 even more safely. Furthermore, by covering the lighting device 4 with the cover 5, it is possible to prevent the light from the lighting device 4 from directly entering the eyes of the passengers. This makes it possible to maintain a comfortable space inside the vehicle interior 2a even when the lighting device 4 is turned on.

[0036] (Variation) Although the vehicle interior lighting system 1 according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0037] For example, in the above embodiment, the lighting device 4 directly irradiates light onto the back surface of the display 3. However, this is not limited to this. Specifically, as in the vehicle interior lighting system 1A shown in FIG. 5 , a reflector 6 that reflects light emitted from the lighting device 4 may be provided on the dashboard 70, and the light reflected by the reflector 6 may be irradiated onto the back surface of the display 3. In other words, the light from the lighting device 4 may be indirectly irradiated onto the back surface of the display 3. In this modification, as in the above embodiment, the luminance difference between the brightness of the display unit 3a and the brightness of the surrounding area outside the display unit 3a can be reduced, thereby reducing eye fatigue felt by occupants viewing the display 3. Furthermore, in this modification, the light reflected by the reflector 6 is irradiated onto the back surface of the display 3. This softens the ambiance of the lighting in the surrounding area of ​​the display 3 compared to the above embodiment, in which light is directly irradiated onto the back surface of the display 3. This reduces the interference with driving caused by the lighting around the display 3 and further enhances the quality of the interior space of the vehicle interior 2a.

[0038] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the display 3 is provided upright on the upper surface of the dashboard 70. However, this is not limiting. For example, as in the vehicle interior lighting system 1B shown in FIG. 6, the display 3 may be embedded in the dashboard 70. Specifically, the display 3 may be embedded in the center of the dashboard 70. In this case, the display 3 may have a bezel provided in a frame region 3b surrounding the display unit 3a, and the illumination device 4B may be installed in this bezel. In this modification, as in the above-described embodiment, the illumination device 4B emits light to illuminate a peripheral region located outside the display unit 3a of the display 3. However, in this modification, the illumination device 4B does not emit light to illuminate a peripheral region (spatial region) located outside the display 3 itself, but emits light to illuminate the frame region 3b as a peripheral region located outside the display unit 3a. In other words, the frame region 3b of the display 3 itself is illuminated. In this modified example, as in the above embodiment, the difference in brightness between the brightness of the display unit 3a and the brightness of the surrounding area outside the display unit 3a can be reduced, thereby preventing eye fatigue felt by passengers looking at the display 3.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the lighting device 4 is installed behind the display 3, but this is not limiting. For example, the lighting device 4 may be installed above the display 3. In this case, the lighting device 4 may be installed on an overhead console or a rearview mirror.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the lighting device 4 is a lighting fixture of a light guide type using a light guide rod, but this is not limited to this. For example, the lighting device 4 may be a lighting fixture of a light guide type using a light guide member other than a light guide rod. In this case, a rectangular light guide plate can be used as the light guide member.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the lighting device 4 is a light guide type lighting fixture, but this is not limiting. For example, the lighting device 4 may be a direct illumination type lighting fixture. In this case, the lighting device 4 may use an LED module in which multiple LED light sources are mounted in a row on a long mounting board.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the light source of the lighting device 4 is an LED light source, but this is not limited to this. For example, the light source of the lighting device 4 may be an existing light source such as a fluorescent lamp, a xenon lamp, or a halogen lamp. However, by using an LED light source as the light source of the lighting device 4, power consumption can be reduced and the lighting device 4 can be turned on with a DC power supply.

[0043] In addition, in the above embodiment, the automobile 2 is used as an example of the moving body, but the moving body is not limited to this. Specifically, the moving body may be a vehicle other than an automobile, such as a railroad car, as long as it has a passenger compartment.

[0044] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications that a person skilled in the art would conceive of to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the above-described embodiments and modifications within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention also includes any combination of one or more components in each of the multiple claims described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, when the dependent claims described in the claims at the time of filing are made into a multiple claim or multiple multiple claims that cite any multiple claims (for example, when a multiple claim or multiple multiple claims that cite all of the parent claims of each claim), all forms obtained by combining all of the claims included in the multiple claim or multiple multiple claim are also included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1, 1A, 1B Vehicle Interior Lighting System 2a cabin 3. Display 3a Display section 3b Picture frame area 4, 4B lighting equipment 5 Cover 6 Reflector 70 Dashboard

Claims

1. a display installed in the vehicle interior and having a display unit; a lighting device installed in the vehicle interior, the illumination device emits light so as to illuminate a peripheral area located outside the display unit. Vehicle interior lighting system.

2. The peripheral area is an area located outside the display. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1 .

3. The display is provided upright on the top surface of the dashboard, The lighting device is installed behind the display. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 2 .

4. The lighting device emits light directly toward the back surface of the display. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 3 .

5. A cover for covering the lighting device is provided on the dashboard.

5. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 4.

6. a reflector that reflects light emitted from the lighting device is provided on the dashboard; The light reflected by the reflector is irradiated onto the back surface of the display. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 3 .

7. The lighting device is installed above the display. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 2 .

8. The lighting device is installed in the overhead console.

8. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 7.

9. The lighting device is installed on the rearview mirror.

8. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 7.

10. the display has a frame area surrounding the display unit, The peripheral region is the frame region. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1 .

11. the display has a bezel provided in the frame region; The lighting device is installed on the bezel.

11. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 10.

12. The display is embedded in the dashboard.

12. A vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 10 or 11.

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