Image projection system for vehicle interior

Abstract

To provide an image projection system for vehicle interior, capable of increasing a range of expression of an image projected by a projector.SOLUTION: Provided is an image projection system 100 used in vehicle interior and including a projector 1 that projects an image to a projection target 2. The projector 1 is arranged such that an optical axis is inclined with respect to a surface of the projection target 2. A projection region of the image on the projection target 2 by the projector 1 is elliptical.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image projection system for vehicle interiors. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a lighting device that includes a light guide that guides light emitted from a light source to an illuminated surface inside the vehicle cabin, and a pattern panel on which a predetermined pattern is formed, and the pattern is projected onto the illuminated surface as the light from the light guide passes through the pattern panel (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-40194 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the lighting device described in Patent Document 1 has a drawback in that the expression of the projected image tends to be monotonous since the pattern of the pattern panel is simply projected onto the irradiation surface.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an image projection system for vehicle interiors that can expand the range of expression of images projected from a projector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides an image projection system for vehicle interiors as set forth in the following items [1] to [5].

[0007] [1] An image projection system for vehicle interiors comprising a projector that projects an image onto a projection target, the projector being installed so that its optical axis is inclined with respect to the surface of the projection target, and the projection area of ​​the image projected by the projector onto the projection target being elliptical. [2] The image projection system for vehicle interiors described in [1] above, wherein an angle between the optical axis of the projector and the surface of the projection target is greater than or equal to 5° and less than or equal to 80°. [3] The image projection system for vehicle interiors described in [1] above, wherein the image magnification ratio of the projector at a projection distance of 400 mm is 50 times or more and 100 times or less. [4] The image projection system for vehicle interiors according to any one of the above [1] to [3], wherein the projector is installed inside a door, and the projection target is a door trim attached to the door. [5] The image projection system for vehicle interiors according to any one of the above [1] to [3], wherein the projector is installed inside an instrument panel or a console, and the projection target is a floor of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image projection system for vehicle interiors that can expand the range of expression of images projected from a projector. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image projection system for vehicle interiors according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle showing examples of installation positions of projectors in an image projection system for vehicle interiors and examples of the positions of the projection areas corresponding to the installation positions. [Diagram 3] Fig. 3(a) is a side view of a part of the door when a projector is installed inside, and Fig. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the door taken along line AA shown in Fig. 3(a). [Figure 4] 4(a) and (b) are perspective views of the projector according to the embodiment of the invention viewed from different angles. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5(a) is a side view of a projector according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the light extraction side, and FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the projector cut along the cutting line BB shown in FIG. 5(a). [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a projector according to an embodiment of the invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of one form of a handle plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] [Embodiment] (Configuration of image projection system for vehicle interior) 1 is a schematic diagram of an image projection system 100 for vehicle interiors according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image projection system 100 for vehicle interiors includes a projector 1 that projects an image onto a projection target 2. In the image projection system 100 for vehicle interiors, the projector 1 is installed such that its optical axis L is inclined with respect to the surface of the projection target 2, and the projection area R of the image projected by the projector 1 onto the projection target 2 is elliptical.

[0011] In the projector 1, light is emitted from a circular projection lens 221, which will be described later. Therefore, when the projector 1 is installed so that the optical axis L is perpendicular to the surface of the projection target 2, the projection area R becomes almost a perfect circle. In the vehicle interior image projection system 100, as described above, the projector 1 is installed so that the optical axis L is inclined with respect to the surface of the projection target 2, so the projection area R becomes an ellipse.

[0012] The projection area R includes the entire image to be projected, and includes both the bright and dark parts of the image represented by the pattern of the pattern plate 20 described later, that is, the parts irradiated with light that has passed through the light-transmitting parts of the pattern plate 20 and the parts not irradiated with light because they are blocked by the light-shielding parts of the pattern plate 20. In other words, the projection area R is an ellipse regardless of the content of the image represented by the pattern of the pattern plate 20.

[0013] In the vehicle interior image projection system 100, the projector 1 uses the projection lens 221 to enlarge and project the pattern of the pattern plate 20, and the projector 1 is installed so that the optical axis L is inclined with respect to the surface of the projection target 2, so that the difference in the path from the projector 1 to the part close to the projector 1 and the part far from the projector 1 in the projection area R becomes large. Therefore, even if the pattern of the pattern plate 20 is uniform overall, the brightness difference between the part close to the projector 1 and the part far from the projector 1 in the projection area R becomes large, making it possible to express a gradation of brightness in the projection area R. By utilizing such an effect, the vehicle interior image projection system 100 not only simply projects the pattern of the pattern plate 20, but also realizes a variety of expressions in the projected image, such as a gradation expression in which the pattern gradually disappears or an expression in which the pattern gradually expands.

[0014] In order to increase the difference in the light paths in the projection region R and improve the visibility of the expression due to the difference in brightness, the angle θ between the optical axis L of the projector 1 and the surface of the projection target 2 is preferably 80° or less, more preferably 50° or less, and even more preferably 20° or less. In order to prevent the pattern in the projected image from being crushed, the angle θ is preferably 5° or more.

[0015] Furthermore, in order to increase the difference in the light paths in the projection region R and improve the visibility of the expression due to the difference in brightness, it is preferable that the image magnification ratio of the projector 1 at a projection distance of 400 mm is 50 times or more. Furthermore, in order to prevent the projection image from protruding from the projection target 2 in the installation form of the vehicle interior image projection system 100 inside a vehicle described later, it is preferable that the image magnification ratio is 100 times or less. Here, the image magnification ratio of the projector 1 at a projection distance of 400 mm refers to the magnification ratio of the size of the image projected on the screen relative to the size of the pattern on the pattern plate 20 when the screen is placed perpendicular to the optical axis L at a distance of 400 mm from the projection lens 221.

[0016] In addition, the projection distance, i.e., the distance from the center of the projection lens 221 of the projector 1 to the center of the projection area R, is set in a range in which the pattern of the projected pattern plate 20 is not blurred, for example, in the range of 100 mm or more and 800 mm or less.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle showing examples of installation positions P1 to P6 of the projector 1 in the vehicle interior image projection system 100 and examples of positions R1 to R6 of the projection region R corresponding thereto.

[0018] The projector 1 is installed inside the door 50, for example, in a pocket of the armrest or inside a convex part in front of the door (near the connection part with the instrument panel 51 if the door is the driver's or passenger's side), as shown in position P1 in FIG. 2. In this case, the projection target 2 is the door trim, for example, as shown in position R1 in FIG. 2, and the projection area R is provided on the surface of an ornament panel on the upper part of the door. Note that, although the door 50 in FIG. 2 refers to the driver's side door, it may be the passenger's side door or the rear seat side door. In this way, when the door 50 is used as the installation target of the projector 1 and the projection target 2, it is preferable that the angle θ between the optical axis L of the projector 1 and the surface of the projection target 2 is 10° or more and 20° or less.

[0019] 2, the projector 1 is installed inside a portion located near the center of the instrument panel 51, for example, inside a portion located above the console 52. In that case, the projection target 2 is, for example, the upper portion of the console 52, as shown in position R2 in FIG. 2, and a projection area R is provided on the surface of the console upper panel, for example.

[0020] Moreover, the projector 1 is installed inside the instrument panel 51, for example, on the back or side of the face panel of a car navigation system, or on the side of an air conditioner outlet, as shown in position P3 in Fig. 2. In that case, the projection target 2 is the instrument panel 51, for example, as shown in position R3 in Fig. 2, and a projection area R is provided on the surface of an ornament panel in front of the passenger seat.

[0021] Projector 1 is installed, for example, inside a bathtub 53 on the top surface of the instrument panel below the windshield, for example, inside a protruding portion around a car navigation system, as shown at position P4 in Fig. 2. In this case, projection target 2 is bathtub 53, for example, as shown at position R4 in Fig. 2, and projection area R is provided on the surface of a relatively flat portion thereof.

[0022] Also, the projector 1 is installed inside a portion located below the instrument panel 51, for example, inside a portion in front of the driver's seat or in front of the passenger seat, as shown in position P5 in FIG. 2. In this case, the projection target 2 is the floor 54 under the feet of the driver's seat or the passenger seat, as shown in position R5 in FIG. 2, and the projection area R is provided on the surface of a floor mat or the like. In this case, when the floor 54 under the feet of the driver's seat or the passenger seat is the projection target 2, the angle θ between the optical axis L of the projector 1 and the surface of the projection target 2 is preferably 40° or more and 50° or less. In addition, when the projector 1 is installed below the instrument panel, the projection target 2 may be the side surface of the console 52, and the projection area R may be provided on the surface of the console 52. In addition, when the floor under the feet of the driver's seat or the passenger seat is the projection target 2, the projector 1 may be installed inside the side surface of the console 52.

[0023] Also, the projector 1 is installed inside the rear part of the console 52, for example, inside the console rear end panel, as shown in position P6 in FIG. 2. In this case, the projection target 2 is the floor 55 under the feet of the rear seats, for example, as shown in position R6 in FIG. 2, and the projection area R is provided on the upper surface of the convex part at the rear of the console 52 or on the surface of the floor mat. When the floor 55 under the feet of the rear seats is used as the projection target 2 in this way, it is preferable that the angle θ between the optical axis L of the projector 1 and the surface of the projection target 2 is 40° or more and 50° or less. Note that when the projector 1 is installed inside the rear part of the console 52, the projection target 2 may be the ceiling 56, and the projection area R may be provided on its surface.

[0024] Other possible configurations include installing the projector 1 in a pocket under the door and providing projection area R on the inner surface of the storage pocket at the bottom of the door (the door may be the driver's door, the passenger door, or the rear seat door), installing the projector 1 inside the instrument panel 51 and providing projection area R on the surface of the A-pillar, installing the projector 1 in front of the console box and providing projection area R on the surface of the center tray, installing the projector 1 inside the A-pillar or B-pillar and providing projection area R on the front part of the ceiling, installing the projector 1 inside the B-pillar or C-pillar and providing projection area R on the rear part of the ceiling, installing the projector 1 inside the B-pillar and providing projection area R on the surface of the ornament panel at the top of the rear seat door, and the like.

[0025] Fig. 3(a) is a side view of a part of the door 50 when the projector 1 is installed inside. Fig. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the door 50 taken along the cutting line AA shown in Fig. 3(a).

[0026] 3(a) and (b), the projector 1 is installed inside a convex portion 501 of an ornament panel near the connection between a door 50 and an instrument panel 51. A projection area R is provided in a relatively flat area 503 of the ornament panel below an inside door handle 504. Light emitted from the projector 1 is irradiated onto the area 503 through an opening 502 provided in the convex portion 501. In the example shown in FIGS. 3(a) and (b), the angle θ between the optical axis L of the projector 1 and the surface of the area 503, which is the projection target 2, is about 10°.

[0027] (Projector configuration) An example of the configuration of the projector 1 according to the embodiment of the invention will be described below.

[0028] Figures 4(a) and (b) are perspective views of the projector 1 according to the embodiment of the invention viewed from different angles. Figure 5(a) is a side view of the projector 1 viewed from the light extraction side, and Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the projector 1 cut along the cutting line BB shown in Figure 5(a). Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the projector 1.

[0029] The projector 1 includes a light source 11 that emits light, a pattern plate 20 having a pattern for projection, a first lens component 21 including a condenser lens 211 that collects the light emitted from the light source 11 and sends it to the pattern plate 20, and a second lens component 22 including a projection lens 221 for projecting the pattern of the pattern plate 20. In the projector 1, the first lens component 21 and the second lens component 22 clamp and fix the pattern plate 20 inside the first lens component 21 and the second lens component 22 so as to seal it.

[0030] The light source 11 is a light emitting element equipped with an LED chip, etc. The light source 11 is mounted on a circuit board 10, and a connector 12 for transmitting power and signals to the light source 11 is connected to the circuit board 10.

[0031] The circuit board 10 on which the light source 11 is mounted, the first lens component 21, the second lens component 22, and the handle plate 20 are housed in a housing 30 consisting of components 30a, 30b, and 30c. The housing 30 has an opening 301 for extracting light from the projection lens 221, and an opening 302 for connecting a connector of an external device to the connector 12. The housing 30 is made of resin such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, polypropylene (PP) resin, or ABS resin.

[0032] Components 30a and 30b are fixed by snap-fitting protrusions 305 provided on both sides of component 30b into holes 304 provided in component 30a. Components 30a and 30c are fixed by snap-fitting protrusions 307 provided on both sides of component 30c into holes 306 provided in component 30a. Circuit board 10 is sandwiched and fixed between components 30a and 30c.

[0033] First lens component 21 has condenser lens 211, frame portion 212 having a box-like (e.g., rectangular parallelepiped) shape with one open side, and fixing portion 215 for fixing first lens component 21 to second lens component 22 and housing component 30b. Condenser lens 211 is located within a plane facing the open surface of frame portion 212. First lens component 21 is made of resin, such as polycarbonate (PC) resin or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin.

[0034] The second lens component 22 has a projection lens 221, a frame portion 222 having a box-like (e.g., rectangular parallelepiped) shape with one open side, and a fixing portion 225 for fixing the second lens component 22 to the first lens component 21 and the housing component 30b. The projection lens 221 is located within a plane facing the open surface of the frame portion 222. The second lens component 22 is made of a resin such as a polycarbonate resin or a polymethyl methacrylate resin.

[0035] In the projector 1, the first lens component 21 and the second lens component 22 are fixed in a state in which the opening surface of the frame portion 212 faces the opening surface of the frame portion 222, and the end surface 213, which is the edge of the opening surface of the frame portion 212, and the end surface 223, which is the edge of the opening surface of the frame portion 222, are in close contact over the entire circumference. This seals the space including the pattern plate 20 inside the first lens component 21 and the second lens component 22. Note that, in order to improve the close contact, it is preferable that the end surface 213 and the end surface 223 are polished.

[0036] When the first lens part 21 and the second lens part 22 are brought into close contact with each other, the parts 214 projecting inward from the four corners of the internal space of the frame part 212 and the parts projecting inward from the four corners of the internal space of the frame part 222 sandwich and fix the four corners of the handle plate 20 from the front and back.

[0037] The first lens component 21, the second lens component 22, and the handle plate 20 are fixed in close contact with each other, for example, by assembling the first lens component 21, the handle plate 20, and the second lens component 22 to a component 30b of the housing 30. Specifically, when the second lens component 22, the handle plate 20, and the first lens component 21 are assembled to the component 30b, a protrusion 226 provided on a fixing portion 225 of the second lens component 22 is fitted into a hole 216 provided in a fixing portion 215 of the first lens component 21. When the fixing portion 215 is fitted into the component 30b, protrusions 217 provided on both side surfaces of the fixing portion 215 snap-fit ​​into holes 303 provided in the component 30b.

[0038] In the projector 1, the first lens component 21, the second lens component 22, and the pattern plate 20 are fixed in close contact with each other, so that the relative positioning accuracy of the condenser lens 211 included in the first lens component 21, the projection lens 221 included in the second lens component 22, and the pattern plate 20 is high. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the projected image from becoming unclear due to the relative positional deviation of the condenser lens 211, the projection lens 221, and the pattern plate 20.

[0039] In addition, since the internal spaces of the first lens component 21 and the second lens component 22 are sealed, it is possible to prevent foreign matter such as dust from entering the periphery of the handle plate 20. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter from appearing in the projected image.

[0040] 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the pattern plate 20. The pattern plate 20 includes a transparent substrate 201 that transmits light from the light source 11, and an opaque film 202 that does not transmit light from the light source 11. The opaque film 202 has a predetermined opening pattern that constitutes the pattern of the pattern plate 20, and has light-transmitting portions 203 that are openings and light-shielding portions 204 that are not openings.

[0041] The image projected by the projector 1 is composed of high-brightness areas having a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the light-transmitting portions 203 and low-brightness areas having a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the light-shielding portions 204 .

[0042] In order to form a fine opening pattern in the opaque film 202 and make the pattern of the pattern plate 20 fine, it is preferable to form the pattern by metal etching on the opaque film 202 made of a metal deposited on the transparent substrate 201 made of glass. By depositing the metal film by vapor deposition, a very thin (about 100 nm) opaque film 202 can be obtained, and the pattern can be formed with high precision by etching.

[0043] In this case, the opaque film 202 is, for example, a laminated film of an opaque film 202a made of CrO and an opaque film 202b made of Cr. Also, for example, the thicknesses of the opaque film 202, the opaque film 202a, and the opaque film 202b are 1.1 mm, 8 nm, and 62 nm, respectively, and the planar size of the pattern plate 20 is 8 mm × 8 mm.

[0044] When forming a pattern on an opaque film 202 made of metal deposited on a transparent substrate 201 made of glass, the minimum width of the patterned opaque film 202 (the minimum width of the light-shielding portion 204 having light-transmitting portions 203 formed on both sides) can be set to 1 μm or more and less than 10 μm, or more precisely, 1 μm or more and 5 μm or less.

[0045] Furthermore, if the pattern of the pattern plate 20 includes fine parts that exceed the resolution of the projection lens 221, the fine parts will not be resolved even in a focused projected image. Specifically, in the projected image, the boundary between the high-brightness area formed by the light-transmitting portion 203 and the low-brightness area formed by the light-shielding portion 204 will not be visible, and the high-brightness area and the low-brightness area will blend together, resulting in a visible area having a brightness between those brightness levels (brightness lower than the brightness of the resolved high-brightness area and higher than the brightness of the resolved low-brightness area).

[0046] In other words, by using the fine details contained in the pattern of the pattern plate 20 that are not resolved in a focused projected image, it is possible to express a brightness in the projected image that is between the brightness of the part formed by the light-transmitting part 203 and the brightness of the part formed by the light-shielding part 204.

[0047] The configuration of the pattern plate 20 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 7. For example, a plate made of transparent resin that transmits light from the light source 11 and having a light transmitting part formed of a flat surface on one side and a light shielding part formed of an inclined surface inclined relative to the flat surface may be used as the pattern plate 20. The light shielding part of this pattern plate 20 uses total reflection of light at the inclined surface to shield light.

[0048] (Effects of the embodiment) In the vehicle interior image projection system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the projector 1 uses the projection lens 221 to enlarge and project the pattern of the pattern plate 20, and the projector 1 is installed so that the optical axis L is inclined with respect to the surface of the projection target 2, so that the difference in the path from the projector 1 to the part close to the projector 1 and the part far from the projector 1 in the projection area R becomes large, and the range of expression regarding the brightness of the projected image is expanded. This makes it possible to realize not only a simple projection of the pattern of the pattern plate 20, but also a variety of expressions in the projected image.

[0049] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiment can be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0050] In addition, the above-described embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Also, it should be noted that not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1 Projector 2. Projection target 50 Doors 51 Instrument Panel 52 Console 100 Image projection system for vehicle interior 221 Projection Lens

Claims

1. A projector is provided for projecting an image onto a projection target, the projector is installed such that an optical axis thereof is inclined with respect to a surface of the projection target; a projection area of ​​an image on the projection target by the projector is elliptical; The angle between the optical axis of the projector and the surface of the projection target is greater than or equal to 5° and less than or equal to 80°. Image projection system for vehicle interiors.

2. The image magnification ratio of the projector at a projection distance of 400 mm is 50 times or more and 100 times or less.

2. The vehicle interior image projection system according to claim 1.

3. The projector is installed inside the door, The projection target is a door trim attached to the door.

3. The image projection system for vehicle interiors according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The projector is installed inside an instrument panel or console, The projection target is a floor of a vehicle.

3. The image projection system for vehicle interiors according to claim 1 or 2.

Images