Vehicular glass and vehicular infrared sensor device

Abstract

Vehicular glass (1) includes a light-shielding region. In the light-shielding region, an infrared-transmitting region (B) is formed and is provided with an opening and an infrared-transmitting member (20) disposed in the opening. The infrared-transmitting member (20) includes: a base material layer (22); and a prism layer (24) including a plurality of prism parts (26) formed continuously in a first direction on a surface (22a) of the base material layer (22). Each of the prism parts (26) includes an inclined surface (30) that extends along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and that is gradually inclined in a direction away from the base material layer (22) toward one side in the first direction. An average of the pitch (P) of the prism parts (26) is from 1 μm to 25 mm.

Description

Vehicle glass and vehicle infrared sensor device

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle glass and an infrared sensor device for a vehicle.

[0002] To improve automobile safety, an infrared sensor device is installed in a vehicle. In this infrared sensor device, an infrared-transmitting area having an infrared-transmitting member is provided on the windshield of the vehicle, and infrared light that passes through this infrared-transmitting member is captured by an infrared camera installed inside the vehicle.

[0003] In many cases, vehicle windshields are tilted upward and toward the rear of the vehicle. This means that the infrared-transmitting area is also positioned at an angle, narrowing the vertical field of view of the infrared camera's sensing in the infrared-transmitting area. In this case, expanding the infrared-transmitting area in the vertical direction would be sufficient, but would increase the size of the infrared-transmitting area on the windshield.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses that an insert, which is a prism-shaped infrared-transmitting member whose thickness decreases toward the top of the vehicle, is provided in a vehicle glass. In the vehicle glass, the optical path of infrared rays passing through the insert is changed, thereby suppressing narrowing of the vertical field of view.

[0005] International Publication No. 2021 / 240112

[0006] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the thickness of the insert in the vertical direction gradually changes over the entire surface, which causes a large difference in the optical path length between the upper and lower positions of the insert, and therefore an unavoidable decrease in contrast due to the difference in infrared absorption loss in the insert.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle glass and a vehicle infrared sensor device that are capable of detecting infrared rays with a sufficient field of view while maintaining good contrast and suppressing the expansion of the infrared transmission area.

[0008] The present invention has the following configuration: (1) A vehicle glass having a light-shielding region, wherein an infrared-transmitting region is formed in the light-shielding region, and the infrared-transmitting region is provided with an opening and an infrared-transmitting member disposed in the opening, the infrared-transmitting member having: a base layer; and a prism layer having a plurality of prism portions formed continuously in a first direction on a surface of the base layer, the prism portions extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and having an inclined surface that gradually inclines in a direction away from the base layer toward one side of the first direction, and the average pitch of the prism portions is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less. (2) A vehicle infrared sensor device comprising: a vehicle glass having a light-shielding area in which an infrared-transmitting area is provided with an infrared-transmitting member disposed within an opening; and an infrared camera disposed opposite the infrared-transmitting area, wherein the infrared-transmitting member has: a base layer; and a prism layer having a plurality of prism portions formed continuously in a first direction on a surface of the base layer, wherein the prism portions extend along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and have an inclined surface that gradually inclines in a direction away from the base layer toward one side of the first direction, and the average pitch of the prism portions is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle glass and a vehicle infrared sensor device that can detect infrared rays with a sufficient field of view while maintaining good contrast and suppressing expansion of the infrared transmission area.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a vehicle glass according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the vehicle glass according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Ca-Ca in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Cb-Cb in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which a vehicle glass is mounted on a vehicle. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the infrared transmitting member shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the attitude and field of view of an infrared camera. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the placement of an infrared camera and the field of view. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another example of an infrared transmitting member. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Cc-Cc in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an infrared transmitting member according to a modified example. FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 1. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line Cd-Cd in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 1.

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and when there are multiple embodiments, the present invention also includes configurations that combine the various embodiments. Numerical values ​​include rounded-off ranges. Furthermore, the use of "to" to indicate a range of values ​​means that the numerical values ​​before and after the range are included as the lower and upper limits.

[0012] (Vehicle) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a vehicle glass 1 according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle glass 1 according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle V. The vehicle glass 1 is a window member that is applied to the windshield of the vehicle V. That is, the vehicle glass 1 is used as the front window of the vehicle V, in other words, as a windshield. An infrared camera CA1 and a visible light camera CA2 are mounted inside (interior of) the vehicle V. Note that the inside (interior of) the vehicle V refers to, for example, the cabin where the driver's seat is located.

[0013] The vehicle glass 1, the infrared camera CA1, and the visible light camera CA2 constitute a camera unit 100 according to this embodiment. The infrared camera CA1 is a camera that detects infrared rays and captures a thermal image of the exterior of the vehicle V by detecting infrared rays from outside the vehicle V. The visible light camera CA2 is a camera that detects visible light and captures an image of the exterior of the vehicle V by detecting visible light from outside the vehicle V. Note that the camera unit 100 may include, for example, a LiDAR or a millimeter-wave radar in addition to or instead of either the infrared camera CA1 or the visible light camera CA2. Here, infrared rays refer to, for example, electromagnetic waves in a wavelength band of 905 nm to 13 μm, and visible light refers to, for example, electromagnetic waves in a wavelength band of 360 nm to 830 nm. The infrared rays may be electromagnetic waves in the near-infrared wavelength band with wavelengths of 0.905 μm (905 nm), 1.35 μm (1350 nm), or 1.55 μm (1550 nm), or the infrared rays may be electromagnetic waves in the far-infrared wavelength band with wavelengths of 8 μm to 12 μm.

[0014] (Vehicle Glass) FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle glass 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Ca-Ca in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Cb-Cb in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, hereinafter, the upper edge of the vehicle glass 1 will be referred to as an upper edge portion 1a, the lower edge as a lower edge portion 1b, one side edge as a side edge portion 1c, and the other side edge as a side edge portion 1d. The upper edge portion 1a is an edge portion located on the upper side in the vertical direction when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in a vehicle V. The lower edge portion 1b is an edge portion located on the lower side in the vertical direction when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in a vehicle V. The side edge portion 1c is an edge portion located on one side when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in a vehicle V. The side edge portion 1d is an edge portion located on the other side when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in a vehicle V.

[0015] Hereinafter, among directions parallel to the surface of the vehicle glass 1, the direction from the upper edge 1a to the lower edge 1b is referred to as the Y direction, and the direction from the side edge 1c to the side edge 1d is referred to as the X direction. In this embodiment, the X direction and the Y direction are perpendicular to each other. The direction perpendicular to the surface of the vehicle glass 1, i.e., the thickness direction of the vehicle glass 1, is referred to as the Z direction. For example, when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in a vehicle V, the Z direction is the direction from the exterior side to the interior side of the vehicle V. The X direction and the Y direction run along the surface of the vehicle glass 1. However, if the surface of the vehicle glass 1 is curved, for example, the X direction and the Y direction may be directions tangent to the surface of the vehicle glass 1 at the center point O of the vehicle glass 1. The center point O is the center position of the vehicle glass 1 when the vehicle glass 1 is viewed from the Z direction.

[0016] The vehicle glass 1 is formed with a light-transmitting region A1 and a light-shielding region A2. The light-transmitting region A1 is a region that occupies the central part of the vehicle glass 1 when viewed from the Z direction. The light-transmitting region A1 is a region that ensures the driver's field of vision. The light-transmitting region A1 is a region that transmits visible light. The light-shielding region A2 is a region that is formed around the light-transmitting region A1 when viewed from the Z direction. The light-shielding region A2 is a region that blocks visible light. Within the light-shielding region A2a, which is the portion of the light-shielding region A2 on the upper edge portion 1a side, an infrared-transmitting region B and a visible light-transmitting region C are formed.

[0017] The infrared-transmitting region B is an area that transmits infrared light and is an area where the infrared camera CA1 is provided. That is, the infrared camera CA1 is provided at a position that overlaps with the infrared-transmitting region B when viewed from the optical axis direction of the infrared camera CA1. The visible-light-transmitting region C is an area that transmits visible light and is an area where the visible-light camera CA2 is provided. That is, the visible-light camera CA2 is provided at a position that overlaps with the visible-light-transmitting region C when viewed from the optical axis direction of the visible-light camera CA2.

[0018] In this way, the light-shielding region A2 has the infrared-transmitting region B and the visible-light-transmitting region C formed therein, so that the light-shielding region A2 blocks infrared light except in the region where the infrared-transmitting region B is formed, and blocks visible light except in the region where the visible-light-transmitting region C is formed. The light-shielding region A2a is formed around the infrared-transmitting region B and the visible-light-transmitting region C. Providing the light-shielding region A2a around the periphery in this way is preferable because it protects the various sensors from sunlight. It is also preferable from the standpoint of design because the wiring of the various sensors is not visible from outside the vehicle.

[0019] 3 , the vehicle glass 1 includes a glass substrate 12, a glass substrate 14, an intermediate layer 16, and a light-shielding layer 18. The vehicle glass 1 has the glass substrate 12, the intermediate layer 16, the glass substrate 14, and the light-shielding layer 18 laminated in this order in the Z direction. The glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14 are fixed (bonded) to each other via the intermediate layer 16.

[0020] The glass substrates 12, 14 may be made of, for example, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, or aluminosilicate glass. The intermediate layer 16 is an adhesive layer that bonds the glass substrates 12, 14 together. The intermediate layer 16 may be made of, for example, a modified polyvinyl butyral (hereinafter also referred to as PVB) material, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)-based material, a urethane resin material, or a polyvinyl chloride resin material. More specifically, the glass substrate 12 includes one surface 12A and another surface 12B, and the other surface 12B is in contact with one surface 16A of the intermediate layer 16 and fixed (adhered) to the intermediate layer 16. The glass substrate 14 includes one surface 14A and another surface 14B, and the one surface 14A is in contact with the other surface 16B of the intermediate layer 16 and fixed (adhered) to the intermediate layer 16. As described above, the vehicle glass 1 is a laminated glass in which the glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14 are laminated together. However, the vehicle glass 1 is not limited to a laminated glass, and may be configured to include, for example, only one of the glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14. In this case, the intermediate layer 16 may not be provided. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the glass substrates 12 and 14, they will be referred to as the glass substrate 10.

[0021] The light-shielding layer 18 includes one surface 18A and the other surface 18B, and the one surface 18A is in contact with and fixed to the other surface 14B of the glass substrate 14. The light-shielding layer 18 is a layer that blocks visible light. For example, a ceramic light-shielding layer or a light-shielding film can be used as the light-shielding layer. For example, a ceramic layer made of a conventionally known material, such as a black ceramic layer, can be used as the ceramic light-shielding layer. For example, a light-shielding polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a light-shielding polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film, a light-shielding polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film, etc. can be used as the light-shielding film.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the side of the vehicle glass 1 on which the light-shielding layer 18 is provided is the interior side of the vehicle V (inside of the vehicle), and the side on which the glass substrate 12 is provided is the exterior side of the vehicle V (outside of the vehicle), but this is not limiting, and the light-shielding layer 18 may be on the exterior side of the vehicle V. When the vehicle glass 1 is configured as a laminated glass of the glass substrates 12, 14, the light-shielding layer 18 may be formed between the glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14.

[0023] (Light-shielding region) The light-shielding region A2 is formed by providing the light-shielding layer 18 on the glass base 10. That is, the light-shielding region A2 is a region in which the glass base 10 is provided with the light-shielding layer 18. That is, the light-shielding region A2 is a region in which the glass base 12, the intermediate layer 16, the glass base 14, and the light-shielding layer 18 are laminated. On the other hand, the light-transmitting region A1 is a region in which the glass base 10 is not provided with the light-shielding layer 18. That is, the light-transmitting region A1 is a region in which the glass base 12, the intermediate layer 16, and the glass base 14 are laminated, and the light-shielding layer 18 is not laminated.

[0024] (Infrared-Transmitting Region) As shown in FIG. 3 , the vehicle glass 1 has an opening 19 formed therein, penetrating from one surface (here, surface 12A) to the other surface (here, surface 14B) in the Z direction. An infrared-transmitting member 20 is provided within the opening 19. The region where the opening 19 is formed and the infrared-transmitting member 20 is provided is the infrared-transmitting region B. That is, the infrared-transmitting region B is a region where the opening 19 and the infrared-transmitting member 20 disposed within the opening 19 are provided. Because the light-shielding layer 18 does not transmit infrared rays, the infrared-transmitting region B is not provided with the light-shielding layer 18. That is, the infrared-transmitting region B does not have the glass base 12, intermediate layer 16, glass base 14, or light-shielding layer 18, and the infrared-transmitting member 20 is provided in the formed opening 19. The infrared-transmitting member 20 will be described later.

[0025] 4, the visible light transmitting region C is, similar to the light-transmitting region A1, a region in the Z direction where the glass base 10 does not include the light-shielding layer 18. In other words, the visible light transmitting region C is a region where the glass base 12, the intermediate layer 16, and the glass base 14 are laminated, and where the light-shielding layer 18 is not laminated.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2 , the visible light transmission region C is preferably located near the infrared transmission region B. Specifically, the center of the infrared transmission region B as viewed from the Z direction is defined as center point OB, and the center of the visible light transmission region C as viewed from the Z direction is defined as center point OC. If the shortest distance between the infrared transmission region B (opening 19) and the visible light transmission region C as viewed from the Z direction is defined as distance L, distance L is preferably greater than 0 mm and less than 100 mm, and more preferably greater than 10 mm and less than 80 mm. By positioning the visible light transmission region C within this range relative to the infrared transmission region B, it is possible to capture images at close positions with the infrared camera CA1 and the visible light camera CA2, while suppressing the amount of perspective distortion in the visible light transmission region C, allowing the visible light camera CA2 to capture appropriate images. Capturing images at close positions with the infrared camera CA1 and the visible light camera CA2 reduces the load when processing the data obtained from each camera and also optimizes the routing of power and signal cables. Furthermore, by using images from the infrared camera CA1 and the visible light camera CA2, whose optical axes are aligned in the horizontal direction, it is possible to calculate the distance to an object using the principle of a stereo camera. If the visible light camera CA2 is a compound eye stereo camera, the distance information obtained from the visible light camera CA2 can be reflected in the infrared camera CA1, thereby improving the accuracy of distance detection.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 2, the visible light transmitting region C and the infrared transmitting region B are preferably positioned side by side in the X direction. That is, the visible light transmitting region C is preferably not positioned on the Y direction side of the infrared transmitting region B, but is aligned with the infrared transmitting region B in the X direction. By arranging the visible light transmitting region C next to the infrared transmitting region B in the X direction, the visible light transmitting region C can be positioned near the upper edge portion 1a. Therefore, the driver's field of view in the light transmitting region A1 can be appropriately secured.

[0028] (Infrared-Transmitting Member) The infrared-transmitting member 20 provided in the infrared-transmitting region B will now be described in detail. The infrared-transmitting member 20 is a member that transmits infrared rays. As shown in FIG. 3 , the exterior surface of the infrared-transmitting member 20 is preferably formed flush (continuous) with the exterior surface of the light-shielding region A2. In other words, the exterior surface 20A of the infrared-transmitting member 20 is attached so as to be continuous with the surface 12A of the glass substrate 12. By making the surface 20A of the infrared-transmitting member 20 continuous with the surface 12A of the glass substrate 12 in this manner, the wiping effect of the wipers can be prevented from being impaired. Furthermore, the presence of a step can be prevented from impairing the design of the vehicle V, and the risk of sand and dust accumulating on the step can be reduced. Furthermore, the infrared-transmitting member 20 is preferably molded to fit the curved surface shape of the vehicle glass 1 to which it is applied. The molding method for the infrared-transmitting member 20 is not particularly limited, and press molding, polishing, molding, or the like can be selected depending on the curved surface shape and the member.

[0029] The shape of the infrared-transmitting member 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a plate-like shape that matches the shape of the opening 19. That is, for example, if the opening 19 is circular, the infrared-transmitting member 20 is preferably a disk-like (cylindrical) shape. The infrared-transmitting member 20 is not limited to a disk-like shape, but may also be elliptical or rectangular. From the standpoint of design, the surface shape of the infrared-transmitting member 20 on the vehicle exterior side may be processed to match the curvature of the outer surface shape of the glass substrate 12. Furthermore, the infrared-transmitting member 20 may be lenticular in order to achieve both a wider viewing angle of the infrared camera CA1 and improved mechanical properties. This configuration is preferable because it allows the infrared-transmitting member 20 to efficiently collect infrared light even if its area is small. In this case, the number of lens-shaped infrared-transmitting members 20 is preferably one to three, and typically two. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable that the lens-shaped infrared transmitting member 20 is pre-aligned and modularized, and is integrated with a housing or bracket 40 that bonds the infrared camera CA1 to the vehicle glass 1.

[0030] In the vehicle glass 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , when the vehicle glass 1 of this embodiment is a laminated glass including a glass substrate 12 (vehicle exterior side) and a glass substrate 14 (vehicle interior side), the opening 19 is formed by overlapping the opening of the glass substrate 12 and the opening of the glass substrate 14. In this case, the area of ​​the opening of the glass substrate 12 may be made larger than the area of ​​the opening of the glass substrate 14, and the infrared transparent member 20 may be disposed within the opening of the glass substrate 12. This configuration improves the resistance force when the infrared transparent member 20 is pressed from the vehicle exterior and the strength against impact. In another embodiment (not shown), the area of ​​the opening of the glass substrate 12 may be made smaller than the area of ​​the opening of the glass substrate 14, and the infrared transparent member 20 may be disposed within the opening of the glass substrate 12. This configuration allows the alignment processing precision of the opening 19 to be relaxed when the glass substrate 12 (vehicle exterior side) and the glass substrate 14 are laminated with the intermediate layer 16, improving processing yield. In yet another embodiment (not shown), the area of ​​the opening in the glass substrate 12 and the area of ​​the opening in the glass substrate 14 may be the same, and the infrared-transmitting member 20 may be disposed within the opening in the glass substrate 12. In such a configuration, the glass substrates 12 and 14 are laminated together in advance via the intermediate layer 16, and the opening 19 is formed in the laminated glass structure at one time. By forming the opening 19 in the laminated glass structure, the process load for aligning the openings is eliminated, further reducing the number of processing steps and lowering manufacturing costs, compared to when an opening is provided in each of the glass substrates 12 (exterior side of the vehicle) and 14 (interior side of the vehicle). The relationship between the size of the opening in the glass substrate 12 and the size of the opening in the glass substrate 14 may be appropriately selected taking into account the above-mentioned advantages.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 , in the infrared-transmitting member 20, the length d1 of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the vehicle exterior surface is preferably 80 mm or less. The length d1 is more preferably 70 mm or less, and even more preferably 65 mm or less. The length d1 is preferably 40 mm or more. The length d1 is more preferably 50 mm or more, and even more preferably 60 mm or more. As shown in FIG. 3 , in the opening 19 of the infrared-transmitting region B, the length d2 of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the vehicle exterior surface (here, any two points on the edge of the opening 19 on the surface 12A side) is preferably 80 mm or less. The length d2 is more preferably 70 mm or less, and even more preferably 65 mm or less. The length d2 is preferably 40 mm or more. The length d2 is more preferably 50 mm or more, and even more preferably 60 mm or more. The length d2 can also be considered the length of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the periphery of the opening 19 on the vehicle exterior surface (surface 12A) of the vehicle glass 1. By setting the length d1 of the infrared-transmitting member 20 and the length d2 of the opening 19 within this range, a decrease in the strength of the vehicle glass 1 can be suppressed, and the amount of perspective distortion around the opening 19 can also be suppressed. Note that, when the shape of the vehicle exterior surface of the infrared-transmitting member 20 is circular, the lengths d1 and d2 correspond to the diameter of the vehicle exterior surface. Furthermore, the lengths d1 and d2 refer to the length of the vehicle glass 1 when it is installed in the vehicle V. For example, if the glass is bent to have a shape to be installed in the vehicle V, the lengths d1 and d2 refer to the length of the vehicle glass 1 after the bending process. The same applies to the dimensions and positions other than the lengths d1 and d2 unless otherwise specified. The infrared-transmitting member 20 may be attached to the opening 19 via a frame member provided on its outer periphery.

[0032] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the vehicle glass 1 is attached to a vehicle. Here, as shown in Fig. 5, if the downward vertical direction is defined as direction YV, the direction Y of the vehicle glass 1 attached to the vehicle V is inclined with respect to direction YV, and the vehicle exterior surface 20A of the infrared transparent member 20 is also inclined with respect to direction YV. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the infrared transparent member 20.

[0033] The infrared-transmitting member 20 includes a base layer 22 and a prism layer 24. The prism layer 24 is provided on a vehicle-interior-facing surface 22a of the base layer 22. The vehicle-interior-facing surface 22a of the base layer 22 is parallel to the vehicle-exterior-facing surface 20A of the infrared-transmitting member 20. The prism layer 24 includes a plurality of prism portions 26. These prism portions 26 protrude from the surface 22a of the base layer 22. When the direction Y of the vehicle glass 1 is defined as a first direction, the prism portions 26 are continuously formed on the surface 22a of the base layer 22 in the first direction Y, i.e., the up-and-down direction in FIG. 6 . When the direction X orthogonal to the direction Y of the vehicle glass 1 is defined as a second direction, each prism portion 26 extends along the second direction, i.e., the left-right direction in FIG. 6 .

[0034] As shown in FIG. 5 , each prism portion 26 has a triangular cross section perpendicular to the Y direction and the X direction and extending along the Y direction, and includes an inclined surface 30 and a connecting surface 32. The inclined surface 30 is gradually inclined in a direction away from the base layer 22 downward in the Y direction, which is a first direction. The inclined surface 30 also extends along the X direction, which is a second direction. The connecting surface 32 connects the lower edge of the inclined surface 30 of the upper prism portion 26 and the upper edge of the inclined surface 30 of the lower prism portion 26 between adjacent prism portions 26. In this embodiment, the connecting surface 32 is perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the base layer 22, and the prism portion 26 has a right-angled triangular cross section. The connecting surface 32 may connect the adjacent inclined surfaces 30 so that the adjacent inclined surfaces 30 are arranged continuously when viewed from the direction of the light ray L1 incident on the vehicle exterior surface 20A of the infrared transparent member 20, for example, the direction ZV. Therefore, the connecting surface 32 does not have to be flat, and may be a surface inclined with respect to the base material layer 22.

[0035] In the prism layer 24, the average pitch P of the prism portions 26 is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less. As shown in FIG. 5 , the pitch P of the prism portions 26 is the distance from the intersection (intersection line) between the surface 22 a and the inclined surface 30 to the intersection (intersection line) between the surface 22 a and the connecting surface 32, and corresponds to the length of the prism portions 26 in the direction Y. The inclined surface 30 of each prism portion 26 has an inclination angle θ with respect to the surface 22 a of the base layer 22, and the average inclination angle θave of the inclination angles θ of these prism portions 26 is 1 degree or more and 30 degrees or less. Furthermore, the maximum height H of each prism portion 26 from the surface 22 a of the base layer 22 is 0.01 μm or more and 4 mm or less. Note that the pitch P of the prism portions 26 does not have to be constant.

[0036] The infrared transparent member 20, which includes the base layer 22 and the prism layer 24, has a ratio Tmax / Tmin of the maximum value Tmax to the minimum value Tmin of the thickness T in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle exterior surface 20A, of 1.0 to 3.0. The infrared transparent member 20 also has an average transmittance of 50% or more for light with wavelengths of 8 μm to 12 μm. The infrared transmittance can be measured using, for example, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (manufactured by ThermoScientific, product name: Nicolet iS10).

[0037] As described above, the infrared transmitting member 20 including the base layer 22 and the prism layer 24 preferably contains one material selected from the group consisting of Si, ZnS, Ge, and chalcogenide glass. By using such a material for the infrared transmitting member 20, infrared rays can be transmitted appropriately.

[0038] A preferred composition of chalcogenide glass is, in atomic %, Ge + Ga; 7% to 25%, Sb; 0% to 35%, Bi; 0% to 20%, Zn; 0% to 20%, Sn; 0% to 20%, Si; 0% to 20%, La; 0% to 20%, S + Se + Te; 55% to 80%, Ti; 0.005% to 0.3%, Li + Na + K + Cs; 0% to 20%, and F + Cl + Br + I; This glass preferably has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 140°C to 550°C. It is more preferable to use Si or ZnS as the material for the infrared-transmitting member 20.

[0039] When the material of the infrared transmitting member 20 is Si or Ge, it can be processed by grinding or cutting, and when the material of the infrared transmitting member 20 is ZnS, it can be processed by press molding using a mold. Furthermore, when the material of the infrared transmitting member 20 is chalcogenide glass, it can be processed by grinding, cutting, or press molding using a mold.

[0040] The infrared-transmitting member 20 may be formed by molding the prism layer 24 from a different material onto the base layer 22, which includes one material selected from the group consisting of Si, ZnS, Ge, and chalcogenide glass. For example, the prism layer 24 may include one or a combination of materials selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Si and high-density polyethylene, and Ge and high-density polyethylene. If the material for the prism layer 24 is Si and high-density polyethylene or Ge and high-density polyethylene, the prism layer 24 can be press-molded. In other words, even if the base layer 22 is made of Si or Ge, which are difficult to press-mold, the prism layer 24 can be easily processed by press molding.

[0041] 5, the vehicle glass 1 having the infrared transmission area B with the infrared transmission member 20, together with the infrared camera CA1, constitutes the vehicle infrared sensor device 200. Hereinafter, the vehicle infrared sensor device 200 will be simply referred to as the infrared sensor device 200. The infrared camera CA1 installed on the vehicle interior side is disposed in a position facing the infrared transmission area B of the vehicle glass 1. As a result, the infrared camera CA1 is disposed in a position facing the prism layer 24 of the infrared transmission member 20 provided in the infrared transmission area B.

[0042] The infrared camera CA1 is installed with its optical axis AX tilted upward relative to the horizontal ZV direction toward the vehicle glass 1. That is, the infrared camera CA1 is installed so that the optical axis AX faces upward at a flap angle φ relative to the horizontal direction. The flap angle φ of the optical axis AX of this infrared camera CA1 with respect to the vehicle glass 1 is set to be 1 degree or more. In this way, in the infrared sensor device 200, by installing the infrared camera CA1 so that the optical axis AX faces upward relative to the horizontal direction toward the vehicle glass 1 at a flap angle φ of 1 degree or more, the field of view of the infrared camera CA1 through the infrared transmission region B can be increased.

[0043] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the orientation and field of view of the infrared camera CA1, and Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the position and field of view of the infrared camera CA1. As shown in Fig. 7, when the infrared camera CA1 is installed horizontally with respect to the vehicle glass 1 tilted toward the rear of the vehicle (see orientation Pa on the right side of Fig. 7), the vertical field of view of the infrared camera CA1 through the infrared transmission region B is narrowed (see field of view Fa shown by the dotted line on the left side of Fig. 7). In contrast, when the infrared camera CA1 is installed tilted upward at a flap angle φ with respect to the vehicle glass 1 tilted toward the rear of the vehicle (see orientation Pb on the right side of Fig. 7), the vertical field of view of the infrared camera CA1 through the infrared transmission region B can be enlarged (see field of view Fb shown by the solid line on the left side of Fig. 7). Furthermore, by tilting the infrared camera CA1 upward, the distance between the camera lens and the infrared transmission region B can be reduced, as shown in Fig. 8. When the distance between the camera lens and the infrared-transmitting region B is reduced (see position Pc on the right side of Figure 8), the field of view of the infrared camera CA1 through the infrared-transmitting region B can be enlarged not only in the vertical direction but also overall (see field of view Fc on the left side of Figure 8).

[0044] If the infrared-transmitting member 20 is flat, it will be difficult for the infrared camera CA1 tilted upward relative to the vehicle glass 1 to capture infrared rays from the front of the vehicle. In this case, if the infrared-transmitting member 20 has a prism shape in which the overall thickness decreases toward the top of the vehicle, the direction of the infrared rays from the front of the vehicle that pass through the infrared-transmitting member 20 can be guided to the infrared camera CA1. However, a large difference in optical path occurs between the upper and lower positions of the infrared-transmitting member 20, and a decrease in contrast due to the difference in absorption loss is unavoidable.

[0045] In the infrared sensor device 200 configured as described above, the infrared transparent member 20 is provided with a prism layer 24 on the vehicle interior surface 22a of the base material layer 22, the prism layer 24 having a plurality of prism portions 26 with an average pitch of 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less, and the optical paths of the plurality of prism portions 26 are changed by the inclined surfaces 30 of the prism portions 26. Therefore, the difference in the optical paths of infrared rays transmitted between the upper and lower positions of the infrared transparent member 20 can be reduced, and a decrease in contrast due to differences in absorption loss can be suppressed. In other words, the infrared sensor device 200 can detect infrared rays with a sufficient field of view without unnecessarily expanding the infrared transparent region B while maintaining good contrast.

[0046] 5, the infrared camera CA1 is installed so that the distance D between the outermost position S centered on the optical axis AX and the infrared transparent member 20 is 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less. This allows the field of view of the infrared camera CA1 to be expanded overall, i.e., in the left-right direction as well as the up-down direction, as described above. Furthermore, the infrared transparent member 20 has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the lens of the infrared camera CA1 by 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less. This allows the infrared camera CA1 to secure a larger field of view while minimizing the size of the infrared transparent region B.

[0047] In the prism layer 24 of the infrared transparent member 20, the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 30 of each prism portion 26 does not need to be constant and may be different from one another. For example, the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 30 of the prism portion 26 may be gradually increased or decreased downward in the first direction (direction Y). Furthermore, the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 30 of the prism portion 26 may be gradually increased from the center toward the outside (left-right direction) in the first direction (direction Y). In this way, the optical path of infrared light passing through the infrared transparent member 20 can be adjusted depending on the position. Furthermore, as another example of the prism layer 24 of the infrared transparent member 20, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the inclined surface 30 of the prism portion 26 may be inclined in the first direction (direction Y) in a direction away from the base layer 22 as it moves from the center toward the left-right direction. This allows for a wider field of view.

[0048] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a modified infrared ray transmitting member 20. In the modified example shown in FIG. 11, the infrared ray transmitting member 20 has an anti-reflection layer 36 on the vehicle interior side. The anti-reflection layer 36 is provided on the inclined surface 30 of each prism portion 26 constituting the prism layer 24 of the infrared ray transmitting member 20.

[0049] The anti-reflection layer 36 is made of ZrO ２ , NiO ｘ , ZnS, Ge, Si, MgO, ZnO, and Bi ２ O ３ It is preferable that the anti-reflection layer 36 contains one or more selected from the group consisting of ZrO ２ , NiO ｘ It is more preferable to use at least one of MgO and MgO.

[0050] The anti-reflection layer 36 is made of NiO. ｘ When the antireflection layer 36 contains NiO as a main component, the term "main component" here may mean that the content of NiO in the entire antireflection layer 36 is 50 mass % or more. ｘ The content of NiO in the entire antireflection layer 36 is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, preferably 70% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and more preferably 90% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. ｘ Elemental, i.e., excluding unavoidable impurities, NiO ｘ The anti-reflection layer 36 preferably contains NiO. ｘ When the content falls within this range, reflection of infrared rays can be suppressed and infrared rays can be transmitted appropriately.

[0051] It is known that nickel oxide can take on a variety of compositions depending on the valence of nickel, and x can take any value from 0.5 to 2. The valence does not have to be single, and two or more types of valences may be mixed.

[0052] The thickness of the antireflection layer 36 is preferably 1000 nm or more and 2000 nm or less, more preferably 1000 nm or more and 1500 nm or less, and even more preferably 1100 nm or more and 1300 nm or less. When the thickness of the antireflection layer 36 is within this range, reflection of infrared rays is suppressed and infrared rays can be appropriately transmitted. The thickness of the antireflection layer 36 can also be said to be the length in the Z direction from the surface of the antireflection layer 36 on the Z direction side to the surface opposite the Z direction.

[0053] The antireflection layer 36 is capable of transmitting infrared rays. The antireflection layer 36 preferably has an extinction coefficient for light with a wavelength of 10 μm of 0.05 or less, more preferably 0.03 or less, even more preferably 0.02 or less, and most preferably 0.01 or less. An extinction coefficient within this range allows appropriate transmission of infrared rays.

[0054] The anti-reflection layer 36 preferably has an extinction coefficient for light with a wavelength of 550 nm (visible light) of 0.04 or more, more preferably 0.06 or more, even more preferably 0.08 or more, and most preferably 0.10 or more. When the extinction coefficient for visible light of the anti-reflection layer 36 falls within this numerical range, the reflectance dispersion of visible light can be appropriately suppressed, and an appearance that ensures designability can be achieved.

[0055] The anti-reflection layer 36 may be provided on the connecting surface 32 in addition to the inclined surface 30 of each prism portion 26. The anti-reflection layer 36 may be provided not only on the interior side of the infrared-transmitting member 20 but also on the exterior side surface 20A, or may be provided on both the interior and exterior sides of the infrared-transmitting member 20.

[0056] Furthermore, when the base material layer 22 and the prism layer 24 are formed from different materials, the anti-reflection layer 36 may be provided on the surface 22a, which is the connecting surface between the base material layer 22 and the prism layer 24. Furthermore, the anti-reflection layer 36 is not limited to being provided on the surface 22a, but may also be provided on the inclined surface 30, which is the surface on the vehicle interior side of the infrared transparent member 20, or on the surface 20A on the vehicle exterior side, or may also be provided on the surface 22a, the surface on the vehicle interior side (inclined surface 30) of the infrared transparent member 20, and the surface 20A on the vehicle exterior side.

[0057] An outermost layer may be provided on at least one of the inside and outside surfaces of the infrared-transmitting member 20. This outermost layer may be made of, for example, ZrO ２ , and DLC (diamond-like carbon), and the thickness is preferably 50 nm or more and 500 nm or less. The thickness of the outermost layer is preferably 80 nm or more, and more preferably 100 nm or more. Furthermore, as an optical property of the outermost layer, the extinction coefficient k at a wavelength of 10 μm is preferably 0.2 or less. By providing the outermost layer, the infrared transparent member 20 can be protected from scratches caused by wiping with a wiper or dust, corrosion caused by oil or chemicals, etc.

[0058] When the anti-reflection layer 36 is provided, an intermediate layer may be provided between the anti-reflection layer 36 and the infrared-transmitting member 20 as an adhesive layer for adhering the anti-reflection layer 36 to the infrared-transmitting member 20. The intermediate layer may be, for example, ZrO ｘ , TiO ｘ , SiN ｘ , ZnO ｘ , TaO ｘ , NbO ｘ , SnO ｘ , AlO ｘ The thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably 5 nm to 30 nm. As for optical properties of the intermediate layer, the extinction coefficient k at a wavelength of 10 μm is preferably 0.3 or less.

[0059] When a laminate consisting of the anti-reflection layer 36, the outermost layer, and the intermediate layer is provided, the thickness of this laminate is preferably 1000 nm or more and less than 5000 nm. Furthermore, as an optical characteristic of the laminate, it is preferable that the average transmittance at a wavelength of 8 μm to 12 μm is 50% or more.

[0060] (Additional Modification) Figures 12, 13, and 14 are schematic diagrams of an infrared sensor device 200 according to an additional modification. Figures 12 and 14 are partially enlarged cross-sectional views taken along line CC in Figure 1, and are enlarged cross-sectional views of the periphery of the infrared transmission region B when the infrared sensor device 200 according to the additional modification is attached to the vehicle glass 1. Figure 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line Cd-Cd in Figure 12. Note that lines CC and Cd-Cd pass through the center of the camera lens 48 of the infrared camera CA1. In the additional modification shown in Figures 12, 13, and 14, the infrared sensor device 200 has a bracket 40 and a shielding material 44 on the vehicle interior side.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 12, the infrared camera CA1 is provided within an area surrounded by the bracket 40 and the vehicle glass 1. Alternatively, the infrared camera CA1 may be attached to the vehicle glass 1 via the bracket 40. The infrared camera CA1 is usually installed so that its optical axis AX is substantially horizontal. However, the infrared camera CA1 may also be installed so that its optical axis AX faces upward at a flap angle φ of 1 degree or more relative to the horizontal direction.

[0062] To obtain clear thermal images using the infrared camera CA1, it is preferable to maintain the temperature of the infrared camera CA1 constant. One way to maintain the temperature of the infrared camera CA1 constant is to increase the thermal insulation within the bracket 40. To increase the thermal insulation within the bracket 40, the inside of the bracket 40 may be maintained as a vacuum or filled with a thermal insulating material. In other words, in the infrared sensor device 200 of this embodiment, the infrared camera CA1 is attached to the vehicle glass 1 via the bracket 40, and the inside of the bracket 40 is preferably maintained as a vacuum or filled with a thermal insulating material. Another way to maintain the temperature of the infrared camera CA1 constant is to adjust the temperature within the bracket 40 using a temperature regulator. In other words, in the vehicle glass 1 of this embodiment, the infrared camera CA1 is attached to the vehicle glass 1 via the bracket 40, and it is preferable to further include a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature within the bracket 40.

[0063] The shielding material 44 is preferably provided in an area located forward of the camera lens 48 and within the area surrounded by the vehicle glass 1 and the bracket 40. The shielding material 44 is preferably provided in a position that does not overlap the field of view of the camera lens 48. The shielding material 44 is preferably plate-shaped or donut-shaped and surrounds the camera lens 48. However, the shielding material 44 may have any shape other than the above-described shapes as long as it does not overlap the field of view of the camera lens 48. As described above, by providing the shielding material 44 around the infrared camera CA1, infrared rays emitted from the bracket 40 and the heat source G present inside the bracket 40 are reflected by the shielding material 44. As a result, infrared rays emitted from the bracket 40 and the heat source G present inside the bracket 40 do not enter the camera lens 48. Therefore, the infrared camera CA1 does not detect the infrared rays and can properly capture a thermal image of the exterior of the vehicle V. As shown in FIGS. 12 , 13 , and 14 , the lowermost point in the vertical direction of the outer periphery of the camera lens 48 is defined as the camera lens bottom end Q. The shielding material 44 contacts the camera lens 48 at the camera lens lower end Q on the periphery of the camera lens 48. The shielding material 44 also contacts the bracket 40 or the vehicle glass 1. Furthermore, the lowermost part of the shielding material 44, which passes through the camera lens lower end Q and is on the same plane as a cross section cut in the vertical direction, is defined as the shielding material lower end R. Here, the angle between the optical axis AX of the infrared camera CA1 and the straight line QR connecting the camera lens lower end Q and the shielding material lower end R is defined as θ Ａ , the angle between the vehicle glass 1 and the horizontal direction is θ ＷＳ The angle θ is defined as Ａ In other words, the angle between the vector pointing from the lower end Q of the camera lens to the lower end R of the shielding material and the directional vector pointing in the imaging direction along the optical axis AX of the infrared camera CA1 is 0°<θ Ａ <180°. In this case, the angle θ Ａ is θ ＷＳ Preferably, it is +90° or less, more preferably 90° or less, and θ ＷＳIt is more preferable that the angle θ is equal to or less than 1 / 2. This prevents infrared rays emitted from the heat source G present in the area surrounded by the infrared camera CA1, the bracket 40, and the shielding material 44 from entering the camera lens 48. Therefore, the infrared camera CA1 does not detect the infrared rays, and can properly capture a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle V. Also, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, the angle obtained by dividing the viewing angle into two equal parts is θ Ｃ Then, the angle θ Ａ is θ Ｃ It is preferable that θ is equal to or greater than θ . Ａ = θ Ｃ 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the infrared transmission region B in a state in which an infrared sensor device 200 according to an additional modification is attached to a vehicle glass 1 when an angle θ Ａ is θ Ｃ In the above cases 、 A shielding material 44 is provided outside the field of view, so that infrared rays emitted from the bracket 40 and the heat source G present inside the bracket 40 are reflected by the shielding material 44. Therefore, the infrared camera CA1 does not detect the infrared rays, and can properly capture a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle V.

[0064] In the infrared sensor device 200, the emissivity ratio ε1 / ε2, where ε1 is the emissivity of the shielding material 44 at wavelengths of 8 to 12 μm and ε2 is the emissivity of the camera lens 48 of the infrared camera CA1 at wavelengths of 8 to 12 μm, is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less, and even more preferably 5 or less. Furthermore, the emissivity ratio ε1 / ε2 is preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 0.5 or more, and even more preferably 1 or more. In additional modifications, the upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined as appropriate. The emissivity is a value specific to the material. The wavelength range of 8 to 12 μm is the wavelength range that the infrared camera CA1 can capture. Note that the emissivity at wavelengths of 8 to 12 μm also includes values ​​simply referred to as emissivity.

[0065] When the emissivity ratio ε1 / ε2 of the camera lens 48 of the infrared camera CA1 and the shielding material 44 is within the above range, the shielding material 44 itself becomes the heat source G, and even if infrared rays emitted from the shielding material 44 enter the camera lens 48 after being reflected by the prism layer 24 or the infrared-transmitting member 20, the infrared camera CA1 can properly capture a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle V.

[0066] The emissivity can be measured, for example, by a method conforming to the ASTM C 1371-98 standard.

[0067] The shielding material 44 may have an infrared anti-reflection layer 46 on the surface facing the vehicle glass 1. When the shielding material 44 has the infrared anti-reflection layer 46, it is possible to suppress infrared rays reflected by the surface of the shielding material 44. By suppressing infrared rays reflected by the surface of the shielding material 44, the infrared camera CA1 can properly capture a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle V.

[0068] The infrared anti-reflection layer 46 is formed on the shielding material 44 and has a configuration in which one low-refractive index layer and one high-refractive index layer are laminated. However, this is not limited thereto; multiple low-refractive index layers and multiple high-refractive index layers may be laminated. The infrared anti-reflection layer 46 may also have a configuration in which a low-refractive index layer is included but a high-refractive index layer is not included, and it can be characterized as having at least one low-refractive index layer. That is, the infrared anti-reflection layer 46 may be a single-layer film consisting of a low-refractive index layer, or a multilayer film in which a high-refractive index layer is included. By using the infrared anti-reflection layer 46 as a multilayer anti-reflection film, it becomes easier to achieve low reflectance over a wide wavelength range by utilizing the light interference effect caused by interfacial reflection at each interface.

[0069] The shielding material 44 may have an uneven structure on the surface facing the vehicle exterior. The uneven structure on the surface facing the vehicle exterior of the shielding material 44 can suppress infrared rays reflected by the surface of the shielding material 44. By suppressing infrared rays reflected by the surface of the shielding material 44, the infrared camera CA1 can properly capture a thermal image of the exterior of the vehicle V.

[0070] For the infrared sensor devices of Examples 1 to 9, which consisted of vehicle glass equipped with various infrared-transmitting members and an infrared sensor, the attitude of the infrared sensor was changed relative to the vehicle glass, which was placed at an angle, and the pass / fail of the effective field of view of the infrared sensor was determined. Furthermore, the average transmittance at two specific locations (P1, P2) was calculated and the transmittance difference was calculated and evaluated. These specific locations (P1, P2) were, for example, the position P1 of the uppermost optical path where light can enter the infrared sensor and the position P2 of the lowermost optical path where light can enter the infrared sensor on the infrared-transmitting member. Examples 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are comparative examples, and Examples 3, 6, 8, and 9 are working examples.

[0071] (Test conditions) (1) Infrared camera Horizontal field of view: 50 degrees Vertical field of view: 40 degrees (2) Infrared-transmitting member Shape: Disc (cylindrical) Size: Diameter 50 mm (3) Vehicle glass Tilt angle: 30 degrees

[0072] Table 1 shows the properties and postures of the infrared transparent members of Examples 1 to 9, and also shows the evaluation results of Examples 1 to 9. In the evaluation of the effective field of view, excellent is indicated by a double circle, good by a circle, and poor by an x. Note that Example 1 is an infrared transparent member without a prism layer ("None" in Table 1), Examples 2, 4, and 7 are infrared transparent members having a prism layer entirely composed of a single prism ("Prism" in Table 1), and Examples 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 are infrared transparent members having a Fresnel-type prism layer in which a plurality of prism portions are continuously arranged ("Fresnel Prism" in Table 1). The average transmittance in Table 1 shows the results of a simulation performed using calculation software: TF Calc (manufactured by Hulinks Co., Ltd.) with an incident angle of 60° in Example 1, 40° in Examples 2 and 3, 30° in Examples 4 to 9, and 0° (vertical incidence) in Examples 7 and 8, and with antireflection films having the following configurations applied to both surfaces of the infrared-transmitting member in Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Antireflection film configuration: NiO ｘ Anti-reflection film thickness: 1200nm

[0073]

[0074] (Evaluation Results) (1) Effective Field of View In Examples 2 and 3, in which the infrared camera was installed with a tilt angle of 20 degrees or more, a good (◯) effective field of view was ensured, and in Examples 4 to 9, in which the infrared camera was installed with a tilt angle of 30 degrees or more, an excellent (◎) effective field of view was ensured. In contrast, in Example 1, in which the infrared camera was installed without a tilt angle, it was poor (×) and it was difficult to ensure a sufficient effective field of view.

[0075] (2) Transmittance Difference It was found that Examples 3, 6, 8, and 9, which had a Fresnel-type prism layer, ensured a sufficiently high transmittance difference and suppressed the contrast difference between P1 and P2. In contrast, Examples 2, 4, and 7, which had an overall prism shape, and Example 5, which had multiple prism portions but a pitch of 30,000 μm, had a low transmittance difference and caused a contrast difference between P1 and P2.

[0076] From the results of the above-mentioned effective field of view and transmittance difference, it was found that in Examples 3, 6, 8, and 9, which are embodiments in which an infrared camera is installed at a tilt angle relative to an infrared-transmitting member equipped with a Fresnel-type prism layer having a plurality of prism portions, a large field of view can be secured while suppressing a decrease in contrast.

[0077] As such, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention also contemplates the mutual combination of the various components of the embodiments, as well as modifications and applications by those skilled in the art based on the description in the specification and well-known techniques, and these modifications and applications are included in the scope of protection sought.

[0078] As described above, the present specification discloses the following: (1) A vehicle glass having a light-shielding area, wherein an infrared-transmitting area is formed within the light-shielding area, and the infrared-transmitting area includes an opening and an infrared-transmitting member disposed within the opening, the infrared-transmitting member including: a base layer; and a prism layer having a plurality of prism portions formed continuously in a first direction on a surface of the base layer, the prism portions extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and having an inclined surface that gradually inclines in a direction away from the base layer toward one side of the first direction, and the average pitch of the prism portions is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less. This vehicle glass enables infrared detection with a sufficient field of view without unnecessarily expanding the infrared-transmitting area while maintaining good contrast.

[0079] (2) The vehicle glass according to (1), wherein the average inclination angle of the inclined surfaces of the prism portions is 1 degree or more and 30 degrees or less, and the maximum height of the prism portions is 0.01 μm or more and 4 mm or less. With this vehicle glass, it is possible to suppress a decrease in contrast caused by a difference in transmittance.

[0080] (3) The vehicle glass according to (1) or (2), wherein the infrared-transmitting member contains one material selected from the group consisting of Si, ZnS, Ge, and chalcogenide glass. According to this vehicle glass, an infrared-transmitting member with good transmittance can be formed by various processing methods.

[0081] (4) The vehicle glass according to (3), wherein the prism layer is made of a material different from that of the base layer and includes one material selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Si and high-density polyethylene, and Ge and high-density polyethylene. According to this vehicle glass, a prism layer of an infrared-transmitting member having good transmittance can be formed by various processing methods.

[0082] (5) The vehicle glass according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the infrared-transmitting member has an average transmittance of 50% or more for light having a wavelength of 8 μm to 12 μm. This vehicle glass can appropriately exhibit the function of the infrared-transmitting member.

[0083] (6) The vehicle glass according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the infrared transmitting member has a ratio Tmax / Tmin of a maximum value Tmax to a minimum value Tmin of a thickness T in a direction perpendicular to the surface on the vehicle exterior side of the vehicle, of 1.0 to 3.0. This vehicle glass can appropriately exhibit the function as an infrared transmitting member.

[0084] (7) The infrared transmitting member has an anti-reflection layer, and the anti-reflection layer is made of ZrO ２ , NiO ｘ The vehicle glass according to any one of (1) to (6), further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of Ge, Si, MgO, and ZnO. This vehicle glass can improve scratch resistance while appropriately transmitting infrared rays.

[0085] (8) The vehicle glass according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the prism layer has a plurality of the prism portions, the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces of which are different. With this vehicle glass, the optical path of the transmitted infrared light can be adjusted depending on the position.

[0086] (9) The vehicle glass according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein a cross section of the prism portion perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and extending along the first direction has a right-angled triangular shape. This vehicle glass makes it possible to easily manufacture an infrared-transmitting member.

[0087] (10) The vehicle glass according to any one of (1) to (9), which is used as a windshield of a vehicle. When used as a windshield of a vehicle, this vehicle glass allows the situation ahead of the vehicle to be accurately grasped by infrared rays, thereby improving safety.

[0088] (11) A vehicle infrared sensor device comprising: a vehicle glass having a light-shielding region in which an infrared-transmitting region having an infrared-transmitting member disposed within an opening is provided; and an infrared camera disposed opposite the infrared-transmitting region, wherein the infrared-transmitting member has: a base layer; and a prism layer having a plurality of prism portions formed continuously in a first direction on a surface of the base layer, the prism portions extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and having an inclined surface that gradually inclines in a direction away from the base layer toward one side of the first direction, and an average pitch of the prism portions is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less. This vehicle infrared sensor device can detect infrared rays with a sufficient field of view while maintaining good contrast and without unnecessarily expanding the infrared-transmitting region.

[0089] (12) The vehicle infrared sensor device according to (11), wherein the infrared camera is installed so that the optical axis faces upward at a flap angle of 1 degree or more with respect to the horizontal direction. With this vehicle infrared sensor device, a wide field of view can be ensured for the infrared camera.

[0090] (13) The vehicle infrared sensor device according to (11) or (12), wherein the infrared camera is installed so that the distance between the outermost surface of the infrared camera and the infrared-transmitting member is 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less, centered on the optical axis. With this vehicle infrared sensor device, it is possible to ensure a large field of view for the infrared camera while suppressing the size of the infrared-transmitting region.

[0091] (14) The vehicle infrared sensor device according to any one of (11) to (13), wherein the infrared-transmitting member has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the lens of the infrared camera by 1 mm to 30 mm. This vehicle infrared sensor device can ensure a large field of view for the infrared camera while suppressing the size of the infrared-transmitting region.

[0092] (15) A method for manufacturing a vehicle glass window comprising: a bracket attached to the vehicle glass; and a shielding material disposed within an area surrounded by the vehicle glass and the bracket and at a position not overlapping with a field of view of the lens of the infrared camera; the infrared camera is provided within the area surrounded by the bracket and the vehicle glass; the shielding material is plate-shaped; the shielding material contacts a lower end of a camera lens that is at the lowermost position in the vertical direction on the outer periphery of the lens; the shielding material contacts the bracket or the vehicle glass; the lowermost portion of the shielding material that is on the same plane as a cross section cut in the vertical direction and passes through the lower end of the camera lens is defined as a lower end of the shielding material; and the angle formed by a vector extending from the lower end of the camera lens to the lower end of the shielding material and a directional vector extending along the optical axis of the infrared camera toward the imaging direction is defined as θ. Ａ , the angle between the vehicle glass and the horizontal direction is θ ＷＳ , then the θ Ａ is 90° + θ ＷＳ The vehicle infrared sensor device according to any one of (11) to (14) below: With this vehicle infrared sensor device, infrared rays radiated from the bracket and a heat source present inside the bracket do not enter the camera lens, and the infrared camera does not detect the infrared rays, so that a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle can be properly captured.

[0093] (16) The angle obtained by dividing the viewing angle of the infrared camera into two equal parts is θ Ｃ When the above θ Ａ is θ Ｃ The vehicle infrared sensor device according to (15) above is configured as follows: With this vehicle infrared sensor device, infrared rays radiated from the bracket and heat sources present inside the bracket do not enter the camera lens, and the infrared camera does not detect the infrared rays, so that a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle can be properly captured.

[0094] (17) The vehicle infrared sensor device according to (15) or (16), wherein the emissivity ratio ε1 / ε2, where ε1 is the emissivity of the shielding material at a wavelength of 8 to 12 μm and ε2 is the emissivity of the lens of the infrared camera at a wavelength of 8 to 12 μm, is 20 or less. With this vehicle infrared sensor device, the shielding material itself serves as a heat source, and even if infrared rays radiated from the shielding material are reflected by a prism layer or an infrared-transmitting member and enter the camera lens, the infrared camera can properly capture a thermal image of the outside of the vehicle.

[0095] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-148446) filed on September 13, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0096] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vehicle glass 19 Opening 20 Infrared-transmitting member 22 Base material layer 22a Surface 24 Prism layer 26 Prism portion 30 Inclined surface 36 Anti-reflection layer 40 Bracket 40A Bracket inner wall 44 Shielding material 46 Infrared-ray anti-reflection layer 48 Camera lens 200 Vehicle infrared sensor device A2 Light-shielding area AX Optical axis B Infrared-transmitting area CA1 Infrared camera P Pitch θ Tilt angle φ Swing angle Q Lower end of camera lens R Lower end of shielding material G Heat source θ ＷＳ Angle between the vehicle glass and the horizontal direction θ Ａ The angle between the line QR and the optical axis AX is θc, which is the angle obtained by dividing the viewing angle of the infrared camera into two equal parts.

Claims

1. A vehicle glass having a light-shielding region, wherein an opening and an infrared-transmitting region in which an infrared-transmitting member is disposed within the opening are formed within the light-shielding region, the infrared-transmitting member having: a base layer; and a prism layer having a plurality of prism portions formed continuously in a first direction on a surface of the base layer, the prism portions extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and having an inclined surface that gradually inclines in a direction away from the base layer toward one side of the first direction, and the average pitch of the prism portions is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less.

2. The vehicle glass according to claim 1, wherein the average inclination angle of the inclined surfaces of the prism portions is from 1 degree to 30 degrees, and the maximum height of the prism portions is from 0.01 μm to 4 mm.

3. The vehicle glass according to claim 1, wherein the infrared transmitting member contains one material selected from the group consisting of Si, ZnS, Ge, and chalcogenide glass.

4. The vehicle glass according to claim 3, wherein the prism layer is made of a material different from that of the base material layer and contains one or a combination of materials selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Si and high density polyethylene, and Ge and high density polyethylene.

5. The vehicle glass according to claim 1, wherein the infrared transmitting member has an average transmittance of 50% or more for light with a wavelength of 8 μm to 12 μm.

6. The vehicle glass according to claim 1, wherein the infrared transmitting member has a ratio Tmax / Tmin of a maximum value Tmax to a minimum value Tmin of a thickness T in a direction perpendicular to the surface, which is 1.0 to 3.

0.

7. The infrared transmitting member has an anti-reflection layer, and the anti-reflection layer is made of ZrO ２ , NiO ｘ , ZnS, Ge, Si, MgO, ZnO, and Bi ２ O ３ The vehicle glass according to claim 1 , comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of:

8. The vehicle glass according to claim 1, wherein the prism layer has a plurality of the prism portions, the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces of which are different.

9. The vehicle glass according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the prism portion perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and extending along the first direction has a right-angled triangular shape.

10. The vehicle glass according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which is used as a windshield of a vehicle.

11. A vehicle infrared sensor device comprising: a vehicle glass having a light-shielding area with an infrared-transmitting area in which an infrared-transmitting material is disposed within an opening; and an infrared camera disposed opposite the infrared-transmitting area, wherein the infrared-transmitting material comprises: a base material layer; and a prism layer having a plurality of prism portions formed continuously in a first direction on a surface of the base material layer, wherein the prism portions extend along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and have an inclined surface that gradually inclines in a direction away from the base material layer toward one side of the first direction, and the average pitch of the prism portions is 1 μm or more and 25 mm or less.

12. The vehicle infrared sensor device according to claim 11, wherein the infrared camera is installed so that the optical axis faces upward at a flap angle of 1 degree or more with respect to the horizontal direction.

13. The vehicle infrared sensor device according to claim 11, wherein the infrared camera is installed so that the distance between the outermost surface of the infrared camera centered on the optical axis and the infrared transparent member is 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

14. The vehicle infrared sensor device according to claim 11, wherein the infrared transparent member has an outer shape that is larger than an outer shape of the lens of the infrared camera by 1 mm to 30 mm.

15. A vehicle glass comprising: a bracket attached to the vehicle glass; and a shielding material disposed within an area surrounded by the vehicle glass and the bracket and at a position not overlapping with the field of view of the lens of the infrared camera, the infrared camera being provided within the area surrounded by the bracket and the vehicle glass, the shielding material being plate-shaped, the shielding material being in contact with a lower end of the camera lens that is at the lowermost position in the vertical direction of the outer periphery of the lens, the shielding material being in contact with the bracket or the vehicle glass, the lowermost portion of the shielding material being on the same plane as a cross section cut in the vertical direction through the lower end of the camera lens, and the angle between a vector extending from the lower end of the camera lens toward the lower end of the shielding material and a directional vector extending along the optical axis of the infrared camera toward the imaging direction is defined as θ. Ａ The angle between the vehicle glass and the horizontal direction is θ ＷＳ , then, the θ Ａ is 90° + θ ＷＳ The infrared sensor device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein:

16. Let θ be the angle obtained by dividing the viewing angle of the infrared camera in half. Ｃ When the above θ Ａ is θ Ｃ The vehicle infrared sensor device according to claim 15, 17. The vehicle infrared sensor device according to claim 15, wherein the emissivity ratio ε1 / ε2 is 20 or less, where ε1 is the emissivity of the shielding material at wavelengths of 8 to 12 μm and ε2 is the emissivity of the lens of the infrared camera at wavelengths of 8 to 12 μm.

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