Interior structure

Abstract

The present invention provides an interior structure for a vehicle that can stabilize the driver's head while minimizing obstruction of the driver's direct field of vision. [Solution] In the passenger compartment 1a of the vehicle 1, a first line of lighting 16b is provided along the door trim 16a of the side door 16 located on the outside of the driver's side in the vehicle width direction. The first line of lighting 16b is provided so as to extend to the vicinity of the front end of the front pillar 15. Two second line of lighting 13a and 13b are supported on the upper surface of the ceiling portion 13d of the meter hood 13. The two second line of lighting 13a and 13b each extend in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. The second line of lighting 13a and 13b are provided so that the light emitted is visible to the driver between the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 and the lower edge 17a of the front windshield 17, inside the outer circumference of the rim 11a in the vehicle width direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to the structure of a vehicle interior, and more particularly to the structure in front of and around the driver. [Background technology]

[0002] Line lighting can be installed inside the vehicle (Patent Documents 1 and 2). Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle interior structure in which line lighting extending in the width direction of the vehicle is installed on the dashboard and line lighting extending in the front direction of the vehicle is installed on the front doors. The line lighting disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that the brightness and color temperature of the lighting change depending on the vehicle's speed and surrounding conditions.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an interior structure in which a line of lighting extending in the vehicle width direction is provided above the air conditioning vents on the instrument panel. The line of lighting disclosed in Patent Document 2 is configured to light up when the operating means is operated and to turn off when it is not operated.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses an in-vehicle structure that has a configuration capable of projecting the shape of the road ahead at a predetermined time onto the front windshield based on information acquired from a navigation device. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 134107 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2021 / 136646 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-190537 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] By the way, in order for a driver to drive as they envision, it is important to allow the driver to recognize the correspondence with the vanishing point (vertical axis) to stabilize their head, and to allow the driver to perceive the foreground through the reference point of their own vehicle's position (depth axis).

[0007] However, it is considered difficult to stabilize the driver's head movements and drive as intended with the vehicle interior structures described in Patent Documents 1 to 3. Specifically, although the vehicle interior structures disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are equipped with line lighting extending in the vehicle width direction, the stabilization of the driver's head movements is not taken into consideration.

[0008] Furthermore, the in-vehicle interior structures disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 may obstruct the driver's view due to line lighting and projected images, raising concerns about safety issues.

[0009] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and provides an in-vehicle structure that can stabilize the driver's head while suppressing obstruction of the driver's direct field of vision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] First, the inventors, through diligent study, have found that by arranging lines (line segments) along the lane markings of the vehicle being driven symmetrically (equally or oppositely) at the driver's seating center within the vehicle cabin, the driver's head can be stabilized, and by aligning these positions with the holopter surface, the driver can drive as intended. The holopter surface extends laterally from the driver's seating center, appearing to move further forward from the driver as it moves from the seating center, and closer to the driver as it moves to the left and right of the seating center.

[0011] Therefore, an interior structure of a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention includes a steering wheel positioned in front of the driver, a side door positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the driver and having a door trim on the interior side, a front pillar positioned in front of the side door and extending in the vertical direction, a first line illumination formed to extend in a line along the door trim and to the front end of the front pillar or its vicinity, and emitting light so as to allow the driver to see the line shape, and in front of the steering wheel, each extending in a line in the front-rear direction The steering wheel comprises two second line lights that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction and emit light so that the driver can see two line shapes, and a lighting support member positioned in front of the steering wheel and supporting the two second line lights, wherein the lighting support member is provided above the rim of the steering wheel and in the area below the lower edge of the front windshield, in an area inside the outer circumference of the rim in the vehicle width direction, so as to support the two second line lights in a position where the driver can see the two second line lights.

[0012] The vehicle interior structure according to the above embodiment includes a first line of lighting and two lines of second line lighting. Each line of lighting is provided to extend in the front-rear direction. The first line of lighting and the two lines of second line lighting are configured so that the emitted light is visible to the driver. The emitted light from each of the first line of lighting and the two lines of second line lighting appears to the driver along an imaginary line that radiates outward from the vanishing point towards the vehicle interior. Furthermore, each of the first line of lighting and the two lines of second line lighting is visible to the driver along the holopter surface. That is, since the first line of lighting is provided along the door trim, which is located outward to the left and right from the center of the driver's seat, it appears to move closer to the driver as it moves further away from the driver to the left and right.

[0013] On the other hand, each of the two second line lights is positioned in front of the steering wheel and within the width of the steering wheel rim, so it is located close to the seating center and away from the driver. Therefore, the light emitted from the first line light and each of the two second line lights can be made visible to the driver along the holopter surface.

[0014] Therefore, the light emitted from each of these line lights allows the driver who sees the emitted light to perceive their own lane (perceive the depth axis). Furthermore, since the two second line lights each extend in the front-to-back direction and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, the driver who sees the light emitted from these two second line lights will perceive the distance between them as narrowing towards the front. Thus, the driver who sees the light emitted from the two second line lights will perceive the vertical axis.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above-described interior vehicle structure, the first line of lighting is provided on the door trim, and two lines of second line of lighting are supported by lighting support members so as to be visible below the rim of the steering wheel and the lower edge of the front windshield. Therefore, compared to the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, which projects two virtual images onto the front windshield, the direct view is less likely to be obstructed.

[0016] Furthermore, the above-described interior structure is designed so that the front end of the first line of lighting is located near the front end of the front pillar, and the two second lines of lighting are positioned inside the outer circumference of the steering wheel rim in the vehicle width direction. As a result, in the area from the front end of the front pillar to the steering wheel rim in the vehicle width direction, the light emitted from each line of lighting is less likely to directly obstruct the driver's view. Therefore, the above-described interior structure allows the driver to reliably perceive their own lane.

[0017] Furthermore, since the above-described vehicle interior structure is provided such that the two second line illuminations are located within a region inside the outer periphery of the rim of the steering wheel in the vehicle width direction, it is possible to suppress the emitted light from the second line illuminations from entering the window of the side door. Therefore, the above-described vehicle interior structure is less likely to obstruct the driver's view of the side mirror disposed outside the window of the side door.

[0018] In the vehicle interior structure according to the above aspect, the vehicle interior structure further includes an air-conditioning outlet provided in front of the steering wheel so as to be adjacent to the inside of the side door in the vehicle width direction, and the two second line illuminations may be provided at a position above the air-conditioning outlet.

[0019] Since the two second line illuminations of the vehicle interior structure according to the above aspect are provided at a position above the air-conditioning outlet, it is possible to surely prevent the emitted light from the second line illuminations from reflecting into the window of the side door. That is, it is possible to surely prevent the light emitted from the second line illuminations from obstructing the driver's view of the side mirror.

[0020] In the vehicle interior structure according to the above aspect, when the side arranged on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the two second line illuminations is defined as the outer second line illumination, at least a part of the first line illumination and the outer second line illumination may be arranged so as to extend side by side in a plan view from above.

[0021] Since the vehicle interior structure according to the above aspect is arranged such that at least a part of the first line illumination and the outer second line illumination extend side by side in a plan view, a driver who sees the light emitted from the first line illumination and the outer second line illumination can visually recognize the emitted light in an integral form although they are spaced apart from each other. For this reason, a driver who sees the light emitted from the first line illumination and the second line illumination can feel excellent design and can perceive the depth axis and the vertical axis respectively.

[0022] In the vehicle interior structure according to the above embodiment, the second line lighting of Article 2 may be arranged parallel to each other in a plan view from above, and may also be arranged parallel to the vehicle's horizontal axis extending in the front-rear direction in a side view from the vehicle width direction.

[0023] The interior structure of the vehicle according to the above embodiment is provided with two second line lights that are parallel to each other in a plan view and parallel to the horizontal axis of the vehicle in a side view. Therefore, when a driver sees the light emitted from the two second line lights, they can see that the light emitted from each line light follows an imaginary line that radiates outwards from the vanishing point towards the interior of the vehicle, and that the distance between them narrows towards the front. Thus, the above interior structure of the vehicle is even more suitable for making the driver perceive the vertical axis and the vertical axis through the light emitted from the two second line lights.

[0024] In the above, "parallel to each other" means that the vertical inclination of the two second line lights is within the range of 3 degrees to 0 degrees. Also, in the above, "parallel to the vehicle's horizontal axis" means that each second line light is positioned within a range of ±3 degrees relative to the vehicle's horizontal axis.

[0025] In the vehicle interior structure according to the above embodiment, the vehicle interior structure further comprises a meter positioned in front of the steering wheel and visible to the driver within the rim of the steering wheel, the lighting support member is a meter hood positioned to cover an area from above the meter to diagonally above, and the portion above the meter comprises a ceiling portion having an upper surface along the vehicle's horizontal axis, and the two second line lights may be provided on the upper surface of the ceiling portion.

[0026] In the above-described configuration, the interior structure of the vehicle uses a meter hood as a lighting support member, and the upper surface of the ceiling is configured as a plane aligned with the vehicle's horizontal axis. The two lines of second-line lighting are configured on the upper surface of the flat ceiling. By configuring the two lines of second-line lighting in this way, the driver can perceive the depth axis and the vertical axis without making significant layout changes from the interior structure of existing vehicles.

[0027] In the above embodiment of the vehicle interior structure, the vehicle interior structure further comprises a meter positioned in front of the steering wheel and visible to the driver within the rim of the steering wheel, wherein the lighting support member comprises a left-upper diagonal cover portion positioned to cover the left-upper diagonal of the meter and a right-upper diagonal cover portion positioned to cover the right-upper diagonal of the meter, and the cover has an opening between the left-upper diagonal cover portion and the right-upper diagonal cover portion in the vehicle width direction, and the second line lighting of the two lines may be provided on one side along the edge of the left-upper diagonal cover portion facing the opening and on the other side along the edge of the right-upper diagonal cover portion facing the opening.

[0028] The above-described interior structure employs a cover as a lighting support member, which has an opening between the left diagonal cover portion and the right diagonal cover portion. Therefore, the above-described interior structure does not reduce the steering column angle, and the cover does not obstruct the driver's gaze when they shift their gaze between the meter and the foreground. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] The interior structure of the vehicle according to each of the above embodiments can stabilize the driver's head while suppressing obstruction of the driver's direct field of vision. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a portion of the interior structure of a vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the meter hood of the first embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a linear lighting configuration. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the second line of lighting relative to the vehicle's horizontal axis. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the driver's vertical field of view and the length of the second line of illumination. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the driver's field of view and the arrangement of the first and second line lights. [Figure 7] (a) is a diagram showing the front pillar of an embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing the front pillar of a comparative example. [Figure 8] This figure shows a portion of the interior structure of a vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a plan view of the cover of the second embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the driver's field of view and the arrangement of the first and second line lights. [Figure 11] (a) is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the arrangement of meters and the steering post angle in the interior structure of a vehicle according to Comparative Example 1, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the arrangement of meters and the steering post angle in the interior structure of a vehicle according to Comparative Example 2, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the arrangement of meters and the steering post angle in the interior structure of a vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are illustrative examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments except for its essential configuration.

[0032] Furthermore, in the diagrams used in the following explanation, "FR" indicates the front of the vehicle, "RR" indicates the rear of the vehicle, "LH" indicates the left side of the vehicle, "RH" indicates the right side of the vehicle, "UP" indicates the top of the vehicle, and "LO" indicates the bottom of the vehicle.

[0033] [First Embodiment] 1.Interior structure The interior structure of the vehicle according to the first embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram showing a part of the structure of the vehicle interior 1a as seen from the driver's seat looking forward.

[0034] Vehicle 1 according to this embodiment includes a steering wheel 11, a meter 12, a meter hood (lighting support member) 13, and an air conditioning vent 14 within the passenger compartment 1a. The steering wheel 11 is located in front of the driver's seat (not shown). The meter 12 provides the driver with information such as the vehicle's speed and is located in front of the steering wheel 11. In vehicle 1, the meter 12 is positioned so as to be visible to the driver seated in the driver's seat, within the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 and on the hub 11b. The meter hood 13 is arranged to cover the meter 12 and is located near the steering wheel 11. The air conditioning vents 14 are located below the meter hood 13 and on both the left and right sides of the meter 12.

[0035] Vehicle 1 comprises a front pillar 15, side doors 16, and a front windshield 17. The front pillar 15 is positioned on both sides in the vehicle width direction in front of the passenger compartment 1a and extends toward the roof. The front pillar 15 is also positioned such that the front end of its lower end is located near the lower edge 17a of the front windshield 17.

[0036] The side doors 16 are located on both sides of the front seats (only one side door 16 is shown in Figure 1). The side door 16 has a door trim (door trim upper) 16a located directly below the windshield of the side door 16. The door trim 16a of the side door 16 is provided to extend from the side of the driver seated in the driver's seat toward the front.

[0037] On the outside of the side door 16, a side mirror 18 is positioned behind the front pillar 15 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0038] Vehicle 1 according to this embodiment further comprises a first line light 16b and two second line lights 13a, 13b within the passenger compartment 1a. The first line light 16b extends in the front-rear direction along the door trim 16a, with its front end extending to the front end of the front pillar 15 or its vicinity. The first line light 16b is capable of emitting linear (straight or curved) light, allowing the driver to see a linear (linear) light extending in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the first line light 16b and the two second line lights 13a, 13b are arranged side by side and extend in the front-rear direction.

[0039] The two second line lights 13a and 13b are located on the upper surface of the ceiling portion 13d, which is visible to the driver seated in the driver's seat on the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11. The configuration of the two second line lights 13a and 13b in the meter hood 13 will be described later. The two second line lights 13a and 13b are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction parallel to each other.

[0040] Here, the two second line lights 13a and 13b are each capable of emitting line-shaped (straight or gently curved) light extending in the front-rear direction, and are configured to be visible to the driver seated in the driver's seat on the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 and below the lower edge 17a of the front windshield 17.

[0041] Furthermore, the second line lights 13a and 13b of the second line lights 13a and 13b of the second line lights 13a and 13b of the second line lights 13a of the second line lights 13a and 13b of the second line lights 13a of the second line lights 13a are positioned above the air conditioning vents 14, thereby preventing the light emitted from the outer second line light 13a from reflecting onto the side door 16 window. That is, the louvers of the air conditioning vents 14 will reflect onto the side door 16 window, but the light emitted from the outer second line light 13a, which is positioned above the air conditioning vents 14, will not reflect onto the side door 16 window. Therefore, the light emitted from the outer second line light 13a will not interfere with the driver's ability to see the side mirror 18.

[0042] As shown in Figure 1, a central virtual axis L passes through the seating center of the driver seated in the driver's seat and the vanishing point Pv in the foreground of the vehicle 1. DC Draw a line. In this case, the two second line illuminations 13a and 13b are on the central virtual axis L DC They are arranged in a line-symmetric relationship with respect to each other. Therefore, the line-shaped light emitted from the two second line lights 13a and 13b also has a central virtual axis L relative to the driver. DC It can be made to appear as if the elements are arranged in a symmetrical relationship with respect to each other.

[0043] Furthermore, the second line lights 13a and 13b of the two lines are positioned inward from the outer circumference of the steering wheel 11 (the outer circumference of the rim 11a) in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the light emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b of the two lines can be seen within the driver's field of vision (within the stable field of view). Therefore, the emitted light from the second line lights 13a and 13b of the two lines can be reliably seen by the driver.

[0044] When vehicle 1 is in motion, the driver can see the light emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b, which are perceived as extending radially from the vanishing point Pv toward the passenger compartment 1a and are positioned along the optical flows OFa and OFb located inside the left and right lane markings LN1 and LN2. The light emitted from the first line light 16b is also visible along the optical flow OFa.

[0045] 2. Configuration of the second line lighting 13a and 13b in the meter hood 13 The configuration of the second line lighting 13a and 13b in the meter hood 13 will be explained using Figures 2 to 5.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, the meter hood 13 has a ceiling portion 13d that covers the top of the meter 12 (see Figure 1). The ceiling portion 13d has a predetermined length extending forward from the rear edge portion 13c on the side of the steering wheel 11 (see Figure 1) and a predetermined width in the vehicle width direction. The ceiling portion 13d has an upper surface that is provided along the vehicle's horizontal axis.

[0047] The second line lighting 13a and 13b in Article 2 are not particularly limited in their specific configuration as long as the driver can see the emitted light; however, it is desirable that the reflection of light on the front windshield 17 and the side door windows 16 does not obstruct the driver's view.

[0048] As described above, the two second line lights 13a and 13b are arranged parallel to each other, but in this case, "parallel to each other" means that the two second line lights 13a and 13b are arranged side by side with a vertical inclination between them in the range of 3 degrees to 0 degrees.

[0049] Furthermore, both of the two second line lights 13a and 13b are arranged so as to be parallel to the vehicle's horizontal axis. In this case, "parallel to the vehicle's horizontal axis" means that, as shown in Figure 4, each of the second line lights 13a and 13b is provided within a range of ±3 degrees with respect to the vehicle's horizontal axis AxVH. That is, in this embodiment, it includes not only the case where the two second line lights 13a and 13b are parallel to the vehicle's horizontal axis AxVH, but also the case where the second line lights 13a1, 13a2, 13b1, and 13b2 have a slight inclination within a range of ±3 degrees.

[0050] Here, regarding the specific configuration of the second line lighting 13a and 13b in Article 2, there are no particular limitations as long as the emitted light is in a linear shape, but as an example, the line lighting 110 shown in Figure 3 can be adopted.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the line lighting 110 comprises a plurality of light sources (e.g., LEDs) 113, a substrate 112 supporting the plurality of light sources 113, and a lighting cover 111 covering the plurality of light sources 113. Note that the line lighting 110 is an example, and the specific configuration of the second line lighting 13a, 13b is not limited to this.

[0052] Furthermore, while the line lighting 110 shown in Figure 3 is presented as a specific example of the configuration of the second line lighting 13a and 13b, a line lighting 110 having a similar configuration may also be adopted as a specific configuration of the first line lighting 16b.

[0053] As shown in Figure 5, the two second line lights 13a and 13b provided on the ceiling portion 13d of the meter hood 13 have a length L in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the second line lights 13a and 13b are provided such that their front ends 13a3 and 13b3 coincide with the front end of the ceiling portion 13d, and their rear ends 13a4 and 13b4 coincide with the rear end of the ceiling portion 13d. However, the front ends 13a3 and 13b3 of the second line lights 13a and 13b may be located behind the front end of the ceiling portion 13d, or the rear ends 13a4 and 13b4 of the second line lights 13a and 13b may be located in front of the rear end of the ceiling portion 13d.

[0054] When a driver seated in the driver's seat views the light emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b, it is visible between lines of sight LNv1 and LNv2. In this case, the length L of the second line lights 13a and 13b is set such that the angle θ between lines of sight LNv1 and LNv2 is 5 degrees or more. As a result, the driver can perceive that the light emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b follows the optical flow OFa and OFb, and also follows the lane markings LN1 and LN2 (see Figure 1).

[0055] 3. Light from the driver's field of view and the line lights 13a, 13b, and 16b. The driver's field of view and the light emitted from line lighting 13a, 13b, and 16b will be explained using Figure 6.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6, the two lines of second line lighting 13a, 13b and first line lighting 16b are arranged such that a portion of the light emitted from the second line lighting 13a, 13b and the light emitted from the first line lighting 16b is visible outside the driver's effective field of view FV1 and inside the stable field of view FV2.

[0057] The effective field of view (FV1) is the area in which the driver can process visual information while simultaneously looking at the central point of focus when fixating on the vanishing point (Pv) or its vicinity (see Figure 1). The gaze-stabilized field of view (FV2) is the area in which eye movement can be assisted by moving the driver's head without strain.

[0058] As described above, by arranging the emitted light LT13a, LT13b from the second line illuminations 13a, 13b and the emitted light LT16b from the first line illumination 16b so that they are visible outside the driver's effective field of view FV1 and inside the stable field of view FV2, the three line-shaped lights LT16b, LT13a, LT13b can be made visible without obstructing the driver's direct field of view.

[0059] 4. Configuration of the front pillar 15 The configuration of the front pillar 15 in vehicle 1 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7(a) shows a part of the front pillar 15 of vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, and Figure 7(b) shows a part of the front pillar 95 of a vehicle according to a comparative example. Note that only the left front pillar 15 is shown in Figure 7(a), but the right front pillar 15 has a configuration that is symmetrical to the left front pillar 15 shown in Figure 7(a).

[0060] As shown in Figure 7(a), the front pillar 15 of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is formed such that the lower end edge 15b of the lower end portion (root portion) 15a smoothly displaces from the outer side in the vehicle width direction to the inner side in the vehicle width direction as it moves from the rear to the front.

[0061] In contrast, as shown in Figure 7(b), the front pillar 95 of the comparative example vehicle is provided such that the front portion of the lower edge 95b of the lower end portion 95a (indicated by arrow A2) faces from the inside in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction. That is, in the comparative example vehicle, the lower edge 95b of the front pillar 95 is formed in the rear portion to face from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the inside in the vehicle width direction, similar to the lower edge 15b of the embodiment, but in the front portion it is formed to face in the opposite direction, from the inside in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0062] As described above, the front pillar 15 of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is formed such that the lower edge 15b of the front portion (the portion indicated by arrow A1) is oriented from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the inside in the vehicle width direction. The lower edge 15b having such a shape is a line portion that is visible to the driver, etc., so as to follow the shape of the holopter. As described above, the holopter surface is the seating center (center virtual axis L) when the driver is seated in the driver's seat. DC A surface extending from ) in the left-right direction, with a virtual central axis L DC The closer it is, the further it is from the driver in front, and the central virtual axis L DC The surface is designed to appear closer to the driver as it moves away from the driver in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the lower edge 15b of the vehicle 1 is visible along the holopter surface at the lower end 15a of the front pillar 15. This stabilizes the driver's head movement.

[0063] Here, the holopter shape can be defined as follows:

[0064] The plane formed by calculating the points that are clearly imaged on the retina of the human eye within the forward field of vision is called the holopter plane. A line segment along this holopter plane is defined as the holopter shape.

[0065] Furthermore, within a person's field of vision, peripheral vision has lower cognitive function compared to central vision; however, even in peripheral vision, cognitive function is ensured if the image lies on the holopter surface.

[0066] 5. Effects The structure inside the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment includes a first line of lighting 16b and two lines of second line lighting 13a, 13b. Each line of lighting 16b, 13a, 13b is provided to extend in the front-rear direction. The first line of lighting 16b and the two lines of second line lighting 13a, 13b are configured so that the emitted light LT16b, LT13a, LT13b is visible to the driver. The emitted light LT16b, LT13a, LT13b emitted from each of the first line of lighting 16b and the two lines of second line lighting 13a, 13b appears to the driver along an imaginary line radiating from the vanishing point Pv into the passenger compartment 1a. In addition, the emitted light LT16b, LT13a, LT13b from each of the first line of lighting 16b and the two lines of second line lighting 13a, 13b is visible to the driver along the holopter surface. In other words, the first line lighting 16b is directed towards the seating center (center virtual axis L) of the driver seated in the driver's seat. DC Since it is provided along the door trim 16a, which is set outward in the left-right direction from the driver, it can be seen as it gets closer to the driver the further away it is from the driver in the left-right direction in the width of the vehicle.

[0067] On the other hand, each of the two second line lights 13a and 13b is located in front of the steering wheel 11 and within the left-right width of the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11, so the central virtual axis L DC It is positioned close to the driver and away from the driver's front. Therefore, the light emitted from the first line illumination 16b and the two second line illuminations 13a and 13b, respectively, can be made visible to the driver along the holopter surface.

[0068] Therefore, the light emitted from each of these line lights 16b, 13a, and 13b, LT16b, LT13a, and LT13b respectively, can enable drivers who view the emitted light LT16b, LT13a, and LT13b to perceive their own lane (depth axis perception). Furthermore, since the two second line lights 13a and 13b each extend in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, drivers who view the light emitted from these two second line lights 13a and 13b can perceive that the distance between them is narrowing towards the front. Thus, drivers who view the light emitted from the two second line lights 13a and 13b, LT13a, and LT13b can perceive the vertical axis.

[0069] Furthermore, the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a described above is such that the first line lighting 16b is provided on the door trim 16a, and the emitted light LT13a, LT13b from the two second line lightings 13a, 13b is supported by the meter hood 13 so that it is visible below the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 and the lower edge 17a of the front windshield 17. Therefore, compared to the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 which projects two virtual images onto the front windshield, the direct view is less likely to be obstructed.

[0070] Furthermore, in the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment, the front end of the first line light 16b is positioned near the front end of the lower edge 15b of the front pillar 15, and the two second line lights 13a and 13b are positioned so that they are inside the outer circumference of the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 in the vehicle width direction. As a result, in the structure of the passenger compartment 1a, the light LT16b, LT13a, and LT13b emitted from each line light 16b, 13a, and 13b in the area from the front end of the lower edge 15b of the front pillar 15 to the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 in the vehicle width direction does not easily obstruct the driver's direct view. Thus, the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment allows the driver to reliably perceive their own lane.

[0071] Furthermore, in the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment, the two second line lights 13a and 13b are arranged so that they are located in an area inside the outer circumference of the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the light LT13a and LT13b emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b from entering the window of the side door 16. Therefore, the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment is less likely to obstruct the driver's view of the side mirror 18, which is located outside the window of the side door 16.

[0072] Furthermore, in the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment, the two second line lights 13a and 13b are positioned above the air conditioning vents 14, so that the light LT13a and LT13b emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b is more reliably prevented from reflecting onto the windows of the side doors 16. In other words, the light LT13a and LT13b emitted from the second line lights 13a and 13b is more reliably prevented from interfering with the driver's view of the side mirrors 18.

[0073] Furthermore, in the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment, the first line lighting 16b and the outer second line lighting 13a are arranged to extend side by side in a plan view. Therefore, when a driver looks at the light LT16b, LT13a emitted from the first line lighting 16b and the outer second line lighting 13a, a driver can perceive a unified (cohesive) form of emitted light. As a result, when a driver sees the emitted light LT16b, LT13a, LT13b from the first line lighting 16b and the second line lighting 13a, 13b, they can perceive excellent design and also perceive depth and vertical axes, respectively.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a is provided with two second line lights 13a and 13b that are parallel to each other in a plan view and parallel to the horizontal axis of the vehicle in a side view. Therefore, for a driver who sees the emitted light LT13a and LT13b from the two second line lights 13a and 13b within the gaze-stable field of view FV2, the two lines of light LT13a and LT13b emitted from the two second line lights 13a and 13b can be seen as being aligned with the lane markings LN1 and LN2 on both sides of the lane in which their vehicle 1 is traveling. Even if there are differences in the size of the drivers, by providing the two second line lights 13a and 13b in the manner described above, the drivers can see the emitted light LT13a and LT13b from the two second line lights 13a and 13b aligned with the lane in which their vehicle 1 is traveling.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a is supported by the meter hood 13, which supports two lines of second line lighting 13a and 13b. More specifically, each of the two lines of second line lighting 13a and 13b is supported by the upper surface of the ceiling portion 13d of the meter hood 13. As described above, the ceiling portion 13d of the meter hood 13 has an upper surface that is a plane aligned with the vehicle's horizontal axis. By adopting this configuration in which the two lines of second line lighting 13a and 13b are supported by the meter hood 13, the driver can perceive the depth axis and the vertical axis without making significant changes to the layout of the passenger compartment structure in existing vehicles.

[0076] As described above, the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment can stabilize the driver's head while suppressing obstruction of the driver's direct field of vision.

[0077] [Second Embodiment] The structure of the passenger compartment 1a of the vehicle 1 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. Note that Figure 8 shows only a portion of the structure of the passenger compartment 1a. The configurations that are not shown are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 8, the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a according to the present embodiment includes a cover 23 as a lighting support member around the meter 12. This is the difference from the first embodiment. The cover 23 is disposed in front of the steering wheel 11. The cover 23 includes two cover portions 23b and 23c.

[0079] One of the two cover portions 23b and 23c, the cover portion 23b, is arranged to cover the upper left diagonal of the meter 12. The other cover portion 23c is arranged to cover the upper right diagonal of the meter 12. In this specification, the cover portion 23b may be described as the upper left diagonal cover portion, and the cover portion 23c may be described as the upper right diagonal cover portion.

[0080] The upper left diagonal cover portion 23b and the upper right diagonal cover portion 23c are configured to have a line symmetry relationship with respect to the center virtual axis L passing through the seating center of the driver seated in the driver's seat and the vanishing point Pv (see FIG. 1) in the foreground of the vehicle 1. DC configured.

[0081] Between the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b and the upper right diagonal cover portion 23c in the vehicle width direction is opened upward (opening 23a).

[0082] The upper ends of the respective cover portions 23b and 23c are arranged radially outside the outer periphery of the steering wheel 11 and below the lower edge 17a (see FIG. 1) of the front windshield 17. The driver seated in the driver's seat can visually recognize the upper ends of the cover portions 23b and 23c between the outer periphery of the steering wheel 11 and the lower edge 17a of the front windshield 17.

[0083] In the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a according to the present embodiment, the two second line illuminations 23d and 23e are supported at portions facing the opening 23a of the cover portions 23b and 23c.

[0084] As shown in Figure 9, the cover 23 is arranged such that, in a plan view from above, the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b and the upper right diagonal cover portion 23c face each other across the opening 23a. A HUD (head-up display) hole 1b is provided in the front portion of the opening 23a.

[0085] One of the two second line lights 23d and 23e, the second line light 23d (the second line light located on the left side) 23d, has a portion of it (front and rear extension portion 23d1) supported by the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b such that it faces the opening 23a in the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b, and this front and rear extension portion 23d1 constitutes the edge portion 23f facing the opening 23a. In addition, a portion of the second line light 23d (widthwise extension portion 23d2) is supported at the rear of the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b, and this widthwise extension portion 23d2 constitutes the rear edge 23h. In the second line light 23d, the front and rear extension portion 23d1 and the widthwise extension portion 23d2 are formed to be continuous.

[0086] Of the two second line lights 23d and 23e, the other second line light (the second line light positioned on the right) 23e has a portion (front and rear extension portion 23e1) supported by the upper right cover portion 23c such that it faces the opening 23a in the upper right cover portion 23c, and this front and rear extension portion 23e1 constitutes the edge portion 23g. In addition, a portion (widthwise extension portion 23e2) of the second line light 23e is supported at the rear of the upper right cover portion 23c, and this widthwise extension portion 23e2 constitutes the rear edge 23i. In the second line light 23e, the front and rear extension portion 23e1 and the widthwise extension portion 223e2 are formed to be continuous.

[0087] The two second line lights 23d and 23e supported by the cover 23 are arranged parallel to each other in a plan view from above, and parallel to the horizontal axis of the vehicle in a side view from the vehicle width direction, similar to the two second line lights 13a and 13b in the first embodiment described above. The meaning of "parallel" in this case is the same as described above.

[0088] As shown in Figure 10, the two second line lights 23d, 23e and the first line light 16b (see Figure 1) are arranged such that a portion of the light emitted from the second line lights 23d, 23e and the light emitted from the first line light 16b is visible outside the driver's effective field of view FV1 but inside the stable field of view FV2.

[0089] As described above, the second line lights 23d and 23e each have front and rear extensions 23d1 and 23e1 and widthwise extensions 23d2 and 23e2. Therefore, the driver can see the emitted light LT23d and LT23e which are roughly L-shaped (or inverted L-shaped). Specifically, the driver can see the light LT23d1 and LT23e1 which extends in the vertical direction and the light LT23d2 and LT23e2 which extends in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the driver who sees the emitted light LE23d and LT23e from the second line lights 23d and 23e is guided by the emitted light LT23d2 and LT23e2 from the widthwise extensions 23d2 and 23e2 to naturally see the emitted light LT23d1 and LT23e1 from the front and rear extensions 23d1 and 23e1.

[0090] Furthermore, the same principle as in the first embodiment is maintained in that a portion of the light emitted from the second line illuminations 23d and 23e (LT23d and LT23e) and the light emitted from the first line illumination 16b (LT16b) is visible outside the driver's effective field of view (FV1) but inside the stable field of view (FV2) where the driver is fixed.

[0091] As described above, in the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment, an opening 23a is provided in the cover 23 between the edge 23f of the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b, which supports the left second line lighting 23d, and the edge 23g of the upper right diagonal cover portion 23c, which supports the right second line lighting 23e. This is to allow the driver to concentrate on driving without reducing the steering post angle, by ensuring that there are no structures that obstruct the driver's line of sight when moving between the meter 12, which is located within the rim 11a of the steering wheel 11 (see Figure 1), and the foreground. For example, in a passenger compartment structure that employs a meter hood 923 that covers the upper part of the meter 12, as shown in Figure 8(a), the driver 500's line of sight LN V3 ,LN V4 When shifting your gaze upwards from a position where you are viewing meter 12 to look at the foreground, a portion of the meter hood 923 becomes visible in between.

[0092] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(b), the line of sight LN of the driver 500 who is viewing the foreground. V3 ,LN V4 To avoid obstruction, let's assume the steering wheel 11 and meter 12 are lowered as indicated by arrow B1. In this case, the angle θ2 of the steering shaft central axis Ax11 with respect to the vehicle's horizontal axis (steering post angle) must be smaller than the angle θ1 shown in Figure 8(a). When the steering post angle θ2 is small in this way, the operability of the steering wheel 11 during turns becomes poor.

[0093] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(b), when attempting to lower the steering wheel 11, the steering wheel 11 will come into contact with the driver's 500's lower limbs, as indicated by arrow B2, making it impossible to actually adopt the configuration shown in Figure 8(b).

[0094] In contrast, as shown in Figure 8(c), in this embodiment, the cover 23 has an opening 23a above the meter 12 (see Figures 8 and 9), so the driver 500 can see LN V3 ,LNV4 When the driver wants to look at the foreground from a position where they are viewing the meter 12, they can shift their gaze through the opening 23a provided in the cover 23. Therefore, the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment allows the driver to concentrate on driving.

[0095] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(c), the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment does not obstruct the driver's view of the foreground even without reducing the steering post angle θ3, which is the angle of the steering shaft central axis Ax11 with respect to the vehicle's horizontal axis, as shown in Figure 8(b). Therefore, the structure of the passenger compartment 1a according to this embodiment can ensure high operability of the steering wheel 11 while enabling smooth eye movement between the meter 12 and the foreground.

[0096] The structure of the interior of the passenger compartment 1a in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a cover 23 as a lighting support member that supports the two second line lights 23d and 23e, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the structure of the interior of the passenger compartment 1a in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0097] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the structure inside the passenger compartment 1a employs a cover 23 as a lighting support member, which has an opening 23a between the upper left diagonal cover portion 23b and the upper right diagonal cover portion 23c. As a result, as described above, high operability of the steering wheel 11 during turns can be ensured, and the cover is prevented from obstructing the driver's gaze when shifting their gaze between the meter and the foreground.

[0098] [Differentiation] In the first and second embodiments described above, the first line lighting 16b and the second line lighting 13a, 13b, 23d, and 23e are provided to extend in a straight line, but the present invention also allows for the use of curved line lighting. However, the curvature is permissible within a range in which the driver, who is viewing the emitted light LT16b, LT13a, LT13b, LT23d, and LT23e from each line lighting 16b, 13a, 13b, 23d, and 23e, can perceive the depth axis and the vertical axis.

[0099] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the brightness and color temperature of the emitted light LT16b, LT13a, LT13b, LT23d, LT23e from the first line lighting 16b and the second line lighting 13a, 13b, 23d, 23e were not specifically mentioned. However, the brightness and color temperature may be changed according to the vehicle speed and the conditions in which the vehicle 1 is located (for example, surrounding vehicles and road conditions).

[0100] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, two second line lights 13a, 13b, 23d, and 23e are provided on the meter hood 13 and cover 23, respectively. However, the present invention may employ a structure in which three or more second line lights are supported by a lighting support member.

[0101] Furthermore, while the first and second embodiments described above used a so-called left-hand drive vehicle, in which the steering wheel 11 is located on the left side of the vehicle compartment 1a, as an example, the present invention can also be applied to right-hand drive vehicles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0102] 1a Cabin 11 Steering Wheel 13. Meter hood (lighting support member) 13a, 13b, 23d, 23e Second line lighting 14. Air conditioning vents 15 Front pillar 16 Side Doors 16a Door trim 16b First line lighting 18 Side mirrors 23 Cover (lighting support member) L DC Central virtual axis OFa, OFb Optical Flow Pv vanishing point

Claims

1. The steering wheel is positioned in front of the driver, The side doors are positioned on the outside in the width direction of the driver and have door trims on the passenger compartment side, A front pillar is positioned in front of the aforementioned side door and extends vertically, A first line illumination is formed to extend in a line along the door trim and to the front end of the front pillar or its vicinity, and to emit light in such a way that the driver can see the line shape; In front of the steering wheel, two second line lights are provided, each extending in a linear shape in the front-rear direction and spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and emitting light so that the driver can see two line shapes. A lighting support member is positioned in front of the steering wheel and supports the two second line lights, Equipped with, The lighting support member is provided above the rim of the steering wheel and in a region below the lower edge of the front windshield, in a region inward from the outer circumference of the rim in the vehicle width direction, so as to support the two second line lights in a position where the driver can see the two second line lights. Vehicle interior structure.

2. Further comprising an air conditioning vent located in front of the steering wheel, adjacent to the inside of the side door in the vehicle width direction, The second line lighting in Article 2 above is installed above the air conditioning outlet. The vehicle interior structure according to claim 1.

3. When the second line lighting in Article 2 above, specifically the side located on the outside in the vehicle width direction, is designated as the outer second line lighting, At least a portion of the first line illumination and the outer second line illumination are arranged so as to extend parallel to each other when viewed from above in a plan view. The vehicle interior structure according to claim 1.

4. The second line lighting in Article 2 above is arranged parallel to each other in a plan view from above, and parallel to the horizontal axis of the vehicle extending in the front-rear direction in a side view from the width direction of the vehicle. The vehicle interior structure according to claim 1.

5. The steering wheel is positioned in front of the steering wheel and further comprises a meter visible to the driver within the rim of the steering wheel, The lighting support member is a meter hood positioned to cover an area from above the meter to diagonally above, and the portion above the meter is provided with a ceiling portion having an upper surface aligned with the vehicle's horizontal axis. The second line lighting in Article 2 above is provided on the upper surface of the ceiling, The vehicle interior structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The steering wheel is positioned in front of the steering wheel and further comprises a meter visible to the driver within the rim of the steering wheel, The lighting support member comprises a left-upper diagonal cover portion positioned to cover the upper left of the meter, and a right-upper diagonal cover portion positioned to cover the upper right of the meter, and is a cover with an opening between the left-upper diagonal cover portion and the right-upper diagonal cover portion in the vehicle width direction. The second line lighting in Article 2 is provided such that one end is along the edge of the upper left diagonal cover portion facing the opening, and the other end is along the edge of the upper right diagonal cover portion facing the opening. The vehicle interior structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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