Vehicle windshield
The vehicle front windshield design with a perception guide that extends beyond the lane width and has inclined side edges addresses the discomfort and fatigue issues of existing designs, enabling intuitive alignment and stable driving, thereby improving road awareness and vehicle safety.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2023/022055
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-14
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle front windshields with small circular perception marks can cause drivers to focus excessively on the mark, leading to discomfort and fatigue while maintaining the vehicle's position relative to the road, and may not effectively handle varying road widths.
A front windshield design featuring a perception guide with an upper side extending along the vehicle width, longer than the lane width, and inclined side edges that allow intuitive deviation correction, enabling natural alignment with the lane without forcing the driver to stare at a single point, thus reducing fatigue and improving road awareness.
This design allows drivers to maintain a stable distance from the lane, suppress deviation, and drive comfortably by intuitively recognizing positional relationships between the vehicle and road, enhancing energy efficiency in vehicle safety technology.
Smart Images

Figure JP2023022055_19122024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Vehicle front windshield
[0001] The present invention relates to a front windshield for a vehicle.
[0002] One known technology for making it easier for a driver viewing the road ahead through the windshield to grasp the vehicle's position is to provide a perceptual guide (perceptual mark) on the windshield (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003] The front windshield described in Patent Document 1 has a recessed portion recessed downward at the lower edge of a black border (e.g., black ceramic dots) placed on the outer periphery of the windshield body, and a round sensory mark is provided with a gap inside the recessed portion. With this front windshield, the driver can easily grasp the vehicle's traveling position by visually recognizing the sensory mark and objects in the forward field of view together.
[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-39384
[0005] However, the front windshield described in Patent Document 1 has a small, round sensor mark located inside a recess formed in the edging, which makes it easy for a driver to focus on the sensor mark surrounded by the recess while driving the vehicle. In addition, with a small, round sensor mark, the driver tends to be more conscious of trying to align the sensor mark with a target while driving.
[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle front windshield that allows the driver to naturally and comfortably grasp the positional relationship between the vehicle and the road, and ultimately contributes to energy efficiency in the field of vehicle safety technology.
[0007] A front windshield of a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a windshield body and a sensory guide arranged in a lower region of the windshield body to allow the driver to perceive the vehicle's relative position to the outside world, the sensory guide having an upper edge extending approximately along the vehicle width direction, and the upper edge being arranged so that when the upper edge overlaps with a lane on the road surface visible to the driver, it is longer than the width of the lane in the vehicle width direction.
[0008] With the above configuration, the driver can drive the vehicle while recognizing the relative position of the upper edge of the perceptual guide, such as whether it overlaps or is aligned with the lane on the road surface. This makes it easier to drive the vehicle while maintaining a nearly constant distance from the lane, thereby suppressing deviation or swaying within the vehicle's lane and enabling stable vehicle driving. The length of the upper edge of the perceptual guide is set to be longer than the width of the lane as seen by the driver, which eliminates the need to stare at a single point on the perceptual guide and operate the steering wheel to aim at a target object. The driver can drive steadily while keeping the positional relationship between the perceptual guide and the lane in their field of vision, reducing fatigue.
[0009] The sensory guide may have side edges extending downward from both ends of the upper edge in the vehicle width direction, and the side edges may be inclined so that their length in the vehicle width direction gradually increases downward from the end of the upper edge.
[0010] In this case, when the lane markings on the road surface overlap the side edge of the perceptual guide while driving, the driver can intuitively grasp the amount of deviation from the reference area where the lane markings and the upper edge of the perceptual guide overlap, based on the change in height of the overlapping area between the side edge and the lane markings. Because the change in the amount of deviation that can be perceived while driving is linked to the change in the scenery seen through the passenger side mirror, when this configuration is adopted, the driver can appropriately determine the direction and amount of steering correction by also looking at the passenger side mirror.
[0011] The maximum length in the vehicle width direction of the side edges disposed on both sides of the upper edge in the vehicle width direction may be set to half the length of the upper edge.
[0012] In this case, the vehicle width direction length from the reference area where the upper edge overlaps with the lane line to the lower end of the side edge is half the maximum adjustment range within the reference area (the vehicle width direction length of the upper edge), making it easier for the driver to intuitively grasp the amount of deviation from the reference area. Furthermore, because the width direction lengths of the two side edges located on both sides of the upper edge in the vehicle width direction are the same, the perceptual guide appears visually stable, making it less likely for the driver viewing the perceptual guide to feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, because the length of the side edge that allows the driver to recognize the amount of deviation from the reference area (upper edge area) is ensured to be sufficiently long (half the maximum adjustment range within the reference area), the driver viewing the perceptual guide is less likely to feel the need to hastily align the upper edge of the perceptual guide with the lane line. This allows the driver to naturally correct the steering wheel while maintaining a natural view of the forward field of view.
[0013] The height from the lower end to the upper end of the side may be set to be equal to or less than the maximum length of the side in the vehicle width direction.
[0014] In this case, the two side edges located on both sides of the upper edge in the vehicle width direction rise gently (at a non-acute angle) toward the upper edge, so the driver who sees the perceptual guide is less likely to be conscious of trying to align the upper edge of the perceptual guide with the lane line in a hurry, which allows the driver to naturally correct the steering wheel while maintaining a natural view of the front field of view.
[0015] The perceptual guide may be arranged so that a center position of the perceptual guide in a vehicle width direction coincides with a center position of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction.
[0016] In this case, by visually checking the upper edge of the perceptual guide, the driver can recognize the center of the vehicle's width direction from the center position of the upper edge. This allows the driver to operate the steering wheel while keeping the center of the vehicle's width direction in mind. Furthermore, because the upper edge of the perceptual guide extends the same length to the left and right from the center position of the vehicle's width direction, the left and right deviation of the vehicle can be adjusted within the same length range.
[0017] The sensory guide may be positioned so that its upper edge is higher than the upper edge of the front hood of the vehicle as seen by the driver through the windshield body. Note that "the upper edge of the front hood of the vehicle as seen by the driver" means the upper edge of the front hood of the vehicle as seen from the eye point of an adult of average build seated in the driver's seat.
[0018] When the upper edge of the perception guide overlaps with the front hood portion as seen from the driver, the intersection between the upper edge and the lane markings on the road surface is blocked by the front hood portion. In contrast, in this configuration, the upper edge of the perception guide is positioned higher than the upper edge of the front hood portion, so the intersection between the upper edge and the lane markings on the road surface is not blocked by the front hood portion. Therefore, the driver can accurately grasp the positional relationship between the lane markings on the road surface and the vehicle based on the overlapping position between the upper edge of the perception guide and the lane markings on the road surface. Furthermore, when the vehicle's headlights are turned on, the road surface appears brightly illuminated through the windshield body. At this time, the intersection between the upper edge of the perception guide and the lane markings on the road surface is not blocked by the front hood portion, so the driver can clearly recognize the positional relationship between the upper edge and the brightly illuminated lane markings.
[0019] The windshield body may be provided at its peripheral edge with a border that outlines the peripheral edge, and the sensory guide may be provided contiguous with the border.
[0020] In this case, because the sensory guide and the edging are connected, the sensory guide appears to float within the windshield body and is not visible. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the driver will not feel uncomfortable as if a foreign object is attached, and comfort when driving a vehicle can be improved.
[0021] The vehicle front windshield of the present invention is configured so that the upper edge of the sensory guide is longer than the width of the lane on the road surface visible to the driver when the upper edge overlaps the lane. This is a consideration of the shape to prevent the driver from staring at the sensory guide and to flexibly accommodate multiple road width standards as a guide for safe driving. Therefore, the driver simply operates the steering wheel to maintain a constant positional relationship between the sensory guide and the lane, such as by keeping the lane within the range of the upper edge of the sensory guide, which has a long width, from the driver's line of sight, or by aligning the lane with the side of the upper edge. Therefore, when the vehicle front windshield of the present invention is adopted, the driver can naturally and comfortably grasp the positional relationship between the vehicle and the road. Therefore, the vehicle front windshield of the present invention can contribute to energy efficiency in the field of vehicle safety technology.
[0022] A diagram showing a view of a vehicle according to an embodiment as seen from inside the vehicle cabin looking forward, with the forward field of view as seen by the driver superimposed on it. A diagram showing the positional relationship between the sensory guide according to an embodiment and the front hood portion. A diagram showing an example of how the sensory guide according to an embodiment and lanes appear on the road surface. A front view of a portion of a sensory guide according to a modified example. A diagram showing another example of how the sensory guide according to an embodiment and lanes appear on the road surface. A diagram showing yet another example of how the sensory guide according to an embodiment and lanes appear on the road surface. A diagram showing another example of how the sensory guide according to an embodiment and lanes appear on the road surface.
[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the terms "front, rear, top, bottom, left, right" and "back" refer to the front, rear, top, bottom, left, and right of a vehicle 1 facing forward.
[0024] 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle 1 according to this embodiment as viewed from the passenger compartment facing forward, with the driver's field of view superimposed on it. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a front windshield located in front of the driver's seat, reference numeral 11 denotes a steering wheel located in front of the driver's seat, and reference numerals 12L and 12R denote left and right side mirrors. The front windshield 10 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front.
[0025] The front windshield 10 comprises a windshield body 13 made of transparent tempered glass or the like, and a border 14 consisting of black ceramic dots printed on the outer periphery of the windshield body 13. The border 14 is provided to conceal the adhesive portion of the front windshield 10 attached to the vehicle body and to block light. The border 14 is provided on the lower edge 13L, upper edge 13U, and left and right side edges 13S of the windshield body 13. Note that the border 14 is not limited to being made of black ceramic dots. The material and installation method of the border 14 are not important as long as it is located on the outer periphery of the windshield body 13 and can partially block the forward visibility from the vehicle interior.
[0026] A perception guide 20 is provided in the center of the lower edge 13L (lower region) of the windshield main body 13 in the vehicle width direction to allow the driver to perceive the relative position of the vehicle 1 with respect to the outside world. The perception guide 20 is formed so as to be continuous with the edging 14 of the lower edge 13L, for example, by a method similar to that used for the edging 14 (for example, by printing black ceramic dots). However, the perception guide 20 can also be provided on the windshield main body 13 by a method different from that used for the edging 14.
[0027] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the perception guide 20 and the front hood portion 30 of the vehicle 1, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of how the perception guide 20 and a lane 40 on a road surface 39 appear. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the perception guide 20 of this embodiment is formed in an isosceles trapezoid shape with an upper edge 20U shorter than the lower edge. The perception guide 20 has an upper edge 20U extending substantially along the vehicle width direction and a pair of side edges 20S extending downward from each of the left and right ends of the upper edge 20U and slanting outward in the vehicle width direction. The lower end (lower edge) of the perception guide 20 is connected to the upper surface of the lower edge edging portion 14.
[0028] In this embodiment, the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 extends substantially horizontally in the vehicle width direction. However, the upper edge 20U does not necessarily have to be substantially horizontal, and may be entirely or partially inclined, or may have a shape with a non-linear portion.
[0029] The length L1 of the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 is set to the following length: That is, when the driver sitting in the driver's seat is looking at the road surface 39 ahead through the windshield body 13, the length L1 of the upper edge 20U is set to be longer than the width w of the lane 40 in the vehicle width direction that appears to overlap when the upper edge 20U overlaps with the lane 40 on the road surface 39 that is visible to the driver. In this embodiment, the length L1 of the upper edge 20U is set to be twice the width w of the lane 40 that appears to overlap with the upper edge 20U.
[0030] Here, the above-mentioned "lane 40 on the road surface 39 as seen by the driver" refers to the lane located on the opposite side of the driver's seat of the vehicle 1, and in the case of a so-called right-hand drive vehicle in which the driver's seat is located on the right side, the lane is located on the left side of the vehicle 1. In the case of a so-called left-hand drive vehicle in which the driver's seat is located on the left side, the above-mentioned lane 40 refers to the lane located on the right side of the vehicle 1.
[0031] The actual width of the lane 40 on the road surface 39 is approximately 150 mm, but when it actually appears to overlap with the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 on the windshield body 13, it appears to be about one-tenth of that width, or approximately 15 mm. For this reason, the length of the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 in this embodiment is set to, for example, 30 mm.
[0032] The left and right side edges 20S of the perception guide 20 are inclined so that their widthwise lengths gradually increase downward from the ends of the top edge 20U. The maximum widthwise length L2 of each side edge 20S is set to half the length of the top edge 20U (e.g., 15 mm). The height H from the bottom to the top of each side edge 20S is set to the same as the maximum widthwise length L2 of each side edge 20S (e.g., 15 mm). Therefore, the angle between the top edge 20U and each of the left and right side edges 20S is set to 135°.
[0033] 4 is a front view showing a portion of a sensory guide 20A according to a modification of this embodiment. In this sensory guide 20A, the height H from the bottom to the top of the side edge 20S is set to be lower than the maximum length L2 of the side edge 20S in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the angle α between the top edge 20U and each of the left and right side edges 20S is set to satisfy the relationship 135°<α<180°.
[0034] Furthermore, the perception guide 20 of this embodiment is installed so that the vehicle width directional center position o of the perception guide 20 coincides with the vehicle width directional center position OB (FIG. 1) of the vehicle 1. Therefore, the top edge 20U and each of the left and right side edges 20S of the perception guide 20 are symmetrical with respect to a vertical line passing through the vehicle width directional center position OB of the vehicle 1 (the vehicle width directional center position of the windshield main body 13). In other words, the top edge 20U and each of the left and right side edges 20S extend the same length in each direction from the vehicle width directional center position OB of the vehicle 1.
[0035] 2, the perception guide 20 is formed so that the upper edge 20U is positioned higher than the upper edge of the front hood portion 30 of the vehicle 1 as seen by the driver through the windshield body 13. However, in this case, "the upper edge of the front hood portion 30 of the vehicle 1 as seen by the driver" means the upper edge of the front hood portion 30 of the vehicle 1 as seen from the eye point of a standard-sized adult driver seated in the driver's seat.
[0036] As described above, the front windshield 10 of this embodiment is configured so that when the upper edge 20U of the sensory guide 20 overlaps with the lane 40 on the road surface 39 as seen by the driver while the driver is driving the vehicle, the length L1 of the upper edge 20U is longer than the width w of the lane 40 in the vehicle width direction. This is a consideration of the shape to prevent the driver from staring at the sensory guide 20 and to flexibly accommodate a variety of road width standards so that the sensory guide 20 can be used as a guide for stable driving. Therefore, the driver can drive the vehicle 1 while maintaining a substantially constant distance from the lane 40 by operating the steering wheel so that the upper edge 20U of the sensory guide 20 overlaps with or is aligned with the lane 40 on the road surface 39. Specifically, the driver can adjust the position of the vehicle 1 naturally and without any discomfort by operating the steering wheel so that the lane 40 fits within the range of the upper edge 20U of the sensory guide 20, which is longer than the width of the lane 40 from the driver's line of sight, or is aligned closely to the upper edge 20U.
[0037] Here, the actual appearance of the perceptual guide 20 and lane 40 to the driver while driving the vehicle, and the driver's steering operation at that time will be described with reference to Figures 3, 5, 6, and 7. Figures 3, 5, 6, and 7 are diagrams showing examples of how the perceptual guide 20 and lane 40 appear to the driver. In these examples, the vehicle 1 is a right-hand drive vehicle with the driver's seat located on the right side, and the driver drives while being conscious of maintaining a predetermined distance from the lane 40 on the left side of the vehicle 1.
[0038] As shown in Figure 3, when the lane marking 40 on the left side of the vehicle 1 is located at the center of the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20 from the driver's line of sight, the vehicle 1 is maintaining an optimal distance from the lane marking 40. While the vehicle 1 is traveling, the lane marking 40 on the left side of the vehicle 1 appears to radially emerge from a distance toward the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20 at the center of the front windshield 10 in the vehicle width direction. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the width of the left lane marking 40 appears to gradually increase as it approaches the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20. The driver of the vehicle checks the distance between the vehicle and the lane marking 40 in the side mirror 12L on the left side of the vehicle and operates the steering wheel so that the lane marking 40 is within the range of the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20 when viewed forward through the front windshield 10.
[0039] As shown in Figure 5, when the lane mark 40 on the left side of the vehicle 1 is shifted near the edge of the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20 from the driver's point of view, the vehicle 1 maintains a distance from the lane mark 40 within an acceptable error range. At this time, the driver can recognize that the vehicle 1 is slightly shifted in the opposite direction to the shift of the lane mark 40. In response to this, the driver can gently correct the steering wheel so that the lane mark 40 is within the central region of the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20.
[0040] As shown in Figure 6, when the lane marking 40 on the left side of the vehicle 1 overlaps only one side edge 20S of the perceptual guide 20 from the driver's perspective, the lateral positional relationship between the vehicle 1 and the lane marking 40 slightly exceeds the allowable error range. In this case, the driver can recognize that the vehicle is out of the allowable error range by an amount corresponding to the overlapping position of the side edge 20S and the lane marking 40. In response to this, the driver can correct the steering wheel so that the lane marking 40 falls within the range of the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20.
[0041] 7, when the lane mark 40 on the left side of the vehicle 1 is positioned outside one side edge 20S of the perceptual guide 20 from the driver's line of sight, the lateral positional relationship between the vehicle 1 and the lane mark 40 greatly exceeds the range of the allowable error. In this case, the driver can recognize that the vehicle is significantly out of the range of the allowable error from the positional relationship between the side edge 20S and the lane mark 40 as seen through the front windshield 10. In response to this, the driver can correct the steering wheel so that the lane mark 40 is within the range of the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20.
[0042] The front windshield 10 of this embodiment allows the driver to drive the vehicle while recognizing the relative position, such as whether the upper edge 20U of the sensory guide 20 overlaps or is aligned with the lane 40 on the road surface 39. This makes it easier to drive the vehicle while maintaining a substantially constant distance from the lane 40, thereby suppressing deviation or wobble within the vehicle's driving lane, and allowing the vehicle to travel stably.
[0043] Furthermore, the front windshield 10 of this embodiment sets the length of the upper edge of the sensory guide 20 to be longer than the width of the lane 40 as seen by the driver, thereby eliminating the need to stare at a single point on the sensory guide 20 and steer the vehicle in a manner that would otherwise require the driver to aim at a target object. This allows the driver to drive the vehicle stably while keeping the relative positions of the sensory guide 20 and the lane 40 in their field of vision, reducing fatigue. Therefore, when the front windshield 10 of this embodiment is adopted, the driver can naturally grasp the relative positions of their vehicle and the roadway without any discomfort. Therefore, the front windshield 10 of this embodiment can contribute to energy efficiency in the field of vehicle safety technology.
[0044] Furthermore, in the front windshield 10 of this embodiment, the sensory guide 20 has side edges 20S extending downward from both ends of the upper edge 20U in the vehicle width direction, and the side edges 20S are inclined so that the length in the vehicle width direction gradually increases downward from each of the left and right ends of the upper edge 20U. Therefore, when a lane mark 40 on the road surface 39 overlaps with the inclined portion of the side edge 20S of the sensory guide 20 while driving the vehicle, the amount of deviation from the reference area where the lane mark 40 and the upper edge 20U of the sensory guide 20 overlap can be intuitively grasped from the change in height of the overlapping portion of the side edge 20S and the lane mark 40. Because changes in the amount of deviation that can be perceived while driving are linked to changes in the scenery seen through the passenger-side side mirror 12L, when the front windshield 10 of this embodiment is adopted, the driver can appropriately determine the direction and amount of steering correction by also viewing the passenger-side side mirror 12L.
[0045] In addition, in the front windshield 10 of this embodiment, the maximum length L2 in the vehicle width direction of each side edge 20S located on both sides of the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 is set to half the length L2 of the upper edge. Therefore, the maximum length L2 in the vehicle width direction of the side edge 20S is half the maximum adjustment range within the reference area (the area where the lane 40 overlaps with the upper edge 20U), making it easier for the driver to intuitively grasp the amount of deviation from the reference area. Furthermore, in this configuration, the widthwise lengths of the two side edges 20S located on both sides of the upper edge 20U in the vehicle width direction are the same, so the perception guide 20 appears visually stable and is less likely to cause discomfort to the driver viewing the perception guide 20.
[0046] Furthermore, when this configuration is adopted, the length of the side edge 20S that allows the driver to recognize the amount of deviation from the reference area is ensured to be sufficiently long (half the length of the maximum adjustment range within the reference area), so the driver who is visually viewing the perceptual guide 20 is less likely to be conscious of hastily trying to align the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20 with the lane 40. This allows the driver to naturally correct the steering wheel (steering wheel 11) while still naturally viewing the forward field of view.
[0047] Furthermore, in the front windshield 10 of this embodiment, the height H from the bottom to the top of the side edge 20S of the sensory guide 20 is set to be equal to or less than the maximum length of the side edge 20S in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the side edges 20S on both the left and right sides rise gently (at a non-acute angle) toward the top edge 20U, making it less likely that a driver visually recognizing the sensory guide 20 will be conscious of hastily trying to align the top edge 20U of the sensory guide 20 with the lane. Therefore, when the front windshield 10 of this embodiment is adopted, the driver can naturally correct the steering wheel (steering wheel 11) while still naturally viewing the forward field of view.
[0048] Furthermore, the front windshield 10 of this embodiment is configured so that the vehicle widthwise center position o of the perceptual guide 20 coincides with the vehicle widthwise center position OB. Therefore, by visually checking the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20, the driver can recognize the vehicle widthwise center position OB from the center position o of the upper edge 20U. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the driver can operate the steering wheel (steer) while being aware of the vehicle widthwise center position OB. Furthermore, in this configuration, the upper edge 20U of the perceptual guide 20 extends the same length to the left and right from the vehicle widthwise center position OB, so that the left-right deviation of the vehicle can be adjusted within the same length range.
[0049] Furthermore, the front windshield 10 of this embodiment is configured so that the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 is positioned above the upper edge of the front hood portion 30 of the vehicle 1 as seen by the driver through the windshield body 13. Therefore, when the driver looks ahead through the windshield body 13, the intersection between the upper edge 20U and the lane 40 on the road surface 39 is not blocked by the front hood portion 30. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the driver can accurately grasp the positional relationship between the lane 40 on the road surface 39 and his / her vehicle based on the overlapping position of the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 and the lane 40 on the road surface 39.
[0050] Furthermore, in the front windshield 10 of this configuration, the intersection between the upper edge 20U of the perception guide 20 and the lane 40 on the road surface 39 is not blocked by the front hood portion 30, so when the road surface 39 is brightly illuminated by turning on the headlights at night, the driver can clearly recognize the positional relationship between the upper edge 20U and the brightly lit lane 40.
[0051] Furthermore, in the front windshield 10 of this embodiment, the sensory guide 20 is provided so as to be continuous with the edging portion 14 on the periphery (lower edge portion 13L) of the windshield main body 13. As a result, the sensory guide 20 appears to float within the windshield main body 13 (in the forward field of view) and is not visible. Therefore, when the front windshield 10 of this configuration is adopted, the driver will not feel uncomfortable as if a foreign object is attached to part of the windshield main body 13, and it is possible to increase comfort when driving the vehicle.
[0052] Furthermore, if the perception guide 20 is formed integrally with the edging portion 14 or continuously using the same method, as in this embodiment, the perception guide 20 can be easily provided on the windshield main body 13 together with the edging portion 14.
[0053] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sensory guide 20 is provided so as to be continuous with the edging portion 14 of the lower edge portion 13L, but the sensory guide 20 may be configured to be spaced apart from the edging portion 14.
[0054] In addition, in the above embodiment, the vehicle width center position o of the perception guide 20 is set to coincide with the vehicle width center position OB of the vehicle, but the perception guide 20 may be positioned so that its vehicle width center position o is offset from the vehicle width center position OB. In this case, it is desirable that the top edge 20U and each of the left and right side edges 20S of the perception guide 20 are symmetrical with respect to a vertical line passing through the width center position of the top edge 20U.
[0055] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the side edge 20S of the perception guide 20 is inclined toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, but the side edge 20S may also be inclined and extend linearly downward.
[0056] In addition, in the above embodiment, the perception guide 20 is printed on the windshield body 13 together with the edging portion 14, but the perception guide 20 may be formed in a sheet shape and adhered to the surface of the windshield body 13. Furthermore, the perception guide 20 may be a three-dimensional shape that has thickness in the front-to-rear direction.
[0057] 1 Vehicle 10 Front windshield 13 Windshield body 14 Edge 20 Perceptual guide 20U Upper edge 20S Side edge 30 Front hood portion 39 Road surface 40 Lane
Claims
1. A front windshield for a vehicle comprising: a windshield body; and a perception guide arranged in a lower region of the windshield body to allow a driver to perceive the vehicle's relative position with respect to the outside world, the perception guide having an upper edge extending approximately along the vehicle width direction, and the upper edge being arranged so that when the upper edge overlaps with a lane on a road surface visible to the driver, it is longer than the width of the lane in the vehicle width direction.
2. A front windshield for a vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that the perception guide has side edges extending downward from both ends of the upper edge in the vehicle width direction, and the side edges are inclined so that their length in the vehicle width direction gradually increases downward from the ends of the upper edge.
3. A front windshield for a vehicle as described in claim 2, characterized in that the maximum length in the vehicle width direction of the side edges located on both sides of the upper edge in the vehicle width direction is set to half the length of the upper edge.
4. A front windshield for a vehicle as described in claim 2, characterized in that the height from the lower end to the upper end of said side is set to be equal to or less than the maximum length of said side in the vehicle width direction.
5. A front windshield for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the perception guide is positioned so that the center position of the perception guide in the vehicle width direction coincides with the center position of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction.
6. A front windshield for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the perceptual guide is positioned so that its upper edge is higher than the upper edge of the vehicle's front hood portion as seen by the driver through the windshield body.
7. A front windshield for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the peripheral portion of the windshield body is provided with a edging portion that borders the peripheral portion, and the sensory guide is provided in connection with the edging portion.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Automobile indicator for safe driving
JP1989141120A
JP1990012913U
Device for recognizing car body front part against ground surface
JP2003306035A
Front windshield for automobile
JP2006008089A
automobile
JP2007126068A
