Vehicular glass

Abstract

The present invention improves load resistance while also improving waterproofing. This vehicular glass has a glass substrate and is provided with a light-shielding region. A far-infrared transmitting region is formed in the light-shielding region, the far-infrared transmitting region being provided with an opening formed in the glass substrate and a far-infrared transmitting member disposed in the opening. The glass substrate and the far-infrared transmitting member are joined via a frame member. The frame member has: a seal part that is sandwiched between the far-infrared transmitting member and the glass substrate; a support part that is provided on a first direction side, which is the thickness direction of the glass substrate, of the seal part and the glass substrate; and an adhesion part that is between the seal part and the support part. The height of a step in the first direction between the surface of the glass substrate on a second direction side thereof opposite to the first direction and the surface of the far-infrared transmitting member on the second direction side thereof is less than 0.3 mm.

Description

Vehicle glass

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicle glass.

[0002] In recent years, various sensors have been installed in automobiles to improve safety. Examples of sensors that can be installed in automobiles include cameras, LiDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging), millimeter-wave radar, and infrared sensors.

[0003] Infrared rays are classified according to their wavelength band into near-infrared (for example, wavelengths of 0.7 μm to 2 μm), mid-infrared (for example, wavelengths of 3 μm to 5 μm), and far-infrared (for example, wavelengths of 8 μm to 13 μm). Infrared sensors that detect these infrared rays include touch sensors, near-infrared cameras, and LiDAR for near-infrared rays, gas analysis and mid-infrared spectroscopy (functional group analysis) for mid-infrared rays, and night vision and thermoviewers (hereinafter referred to as far-infrared cameras) for far-infrared rays.

[0004] Because automobile window glass typically does not transmit far-infrared rays with wavelengths of 8 μm to 13 μm, far-infrared cameras have traditionally been installed outside the vehicle cabin, more specifically, in the front grille, as in Patent Document 1, for example. However, when installing a far-infrared camera outside the vehicle cabin, the structure becomes more complex to ensure robustness, water resistance, dust resistance, etc., leading to higher costs. By installing a far-infrared camera inside the vehicle cabin, especially in the wiper operating area, the far-infrared camera is protected by the window glass and dirt can be wiped away, solving this problem. However, as mentioned above, due to the problem that window glass does not transmit far-infrared rays, far-infrared cameras were not typically installed inside the vehicle cabin.

[0005] In order to meet the above demands, Patent Document 2 discloses a window member in which a through hole is formed in a part of the window glass and filled with an infrared-transmitting material.

[0006] US Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0169491 UK Patent Application Publication No. 2271139

[0007] When a through hole is drilled in a window glass and filled with an infrared-transparent member as in Patent Document 2, it is conceivable to interpose a sealing frame member between the through hole in the window glass and the infrared-transparent member for the purposes of load-bearing capacity, anti-fouling, soundproofing, protection of the adhesive from the external environment, etc. However, when a frame member is provided, the infrared-transparent member is likely to come out of the through hole due to a load from outside the vehicle, which could weaken the load-bearing capacity.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a vehicle glass that can improve the load-bearing capacity while improving the water-stopping property.

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the vehicle glass according to the present disclosure is a vehicle glass having a glass base and a light-shielding region, wherein an opening formed in the glass base and a far-infrared light-transmitting region in which a far-infrared light-transmitting member disposed in the opening are formed, the glass base and the far-infrared light-transmitting member are joined via a frame member, the frame member having a sealing portion sandwiched between the far-infrared light-transmitting member and the glass base, a supporting portion provided on a first direction side, which is a thickness direction of the glass base, of the sealing portion and the glass base, and an adhesive portion between the sealing portion and the supporting portion, and a height of a step in the first direction between a surface of the glass base on a second direction side opposite to the first direction and a surface of the far-infrared light-transmitting member on the second direction side is less than 0.3 mm.

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a vehicle glass according to the present disclosure is a vehicle glass that has a glass base and is provided with a light-shielding region, wherein an opening formed in the glass base and a far-infrared light-transmitting region in which a far-infrared light-transmitting member disposed in the opening are formed, the glass base and the far-infrared light-transmitting member are joined together via a frame member, the frame member having a sealing portion sandwiched between the far-infrared light-transmitting member and the glass base, a supporting portion provided on a first direction side, which is a thickness direction of the glass base, of the sealing portion and the glass base, and an adhesive portion between the sealing portion and the supporting portion, and wherein, when a load of 20 kgf is applied to the far-infrared light-transmitting member in a ring-on-ring bending test and then the load is removed, the height of a step in the first direction between a surface of the glass base on a second direction side opposite to the first direction and a surface of the far-infrared light-transmitting member on the second direction side is less than 1.2 mm.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the load-bearing capacity while improving the water-stopping property.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a vehicle glass according to a first embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the vehicle glass according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a far-infrared transmitting region of the vehicle glass. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sealing portion of the vehicle glass. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a frame member of the vehicle glass. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration in which a far-infrared camera is attached to the vehicle glass. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing method for the vehicle glass according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared transmitting region of the vehicle glass according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared transmitting region of the vehicle glass according to the first modified example. FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared transmitting region of the vehicle glass according to the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared transmitting region of the vehicle glass according to the second modified example. FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a frame member of the vehicle glass according to the third modified example. Fig. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a frame member in a vehicle glass according to a fourth modified example. Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a far-infrared ray transmitting region in a vehicle glass according to a fifth modified example.

[0013] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and when there are multiple embodiments, the present invention also includes combinations of the embodiments. Numerical values ​​include rounded ranges. Furthermore, when a numerical range is indicated by connecting upper and lower limits with ~, the range includes both the upper and lower limits. For example, "X to Y" means X or greater and Y or less. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, physical properties and dimensions are described as values ​​at room temperature, i.e., 5°C to 35°C.

[0014] (First embodiment) (Vehicle) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a vehicle glass according to the first embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle glass 1 according to the first 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. A far-infrared camera CA1 and a visible light camera CA2 are mounted inside (interior of) the vehicle V. The inside (interior of) the vehicle V refers to, for example, the interior of the vehicle where the driver's seat is located.

[0015] The vehicle glass 1, the far-infrared camera CA1, and the visible light camera CA2 constitute the camera unit 100 according to the first embodiment. The far-infrared camera CA1 is a camera that detects far-infrared rays. The far-infrared camera CA1 captures a thermal image of the exterior of the vehicle V by detecting far-infrared rays from the exterior of the vehicle V. The visible light camera CA2 is a camera that detects visible light. The visible light camera CA2 captures an image of the exterior of the vehicle V by detecting visible light from the exterior of the vehicle V. In addition to the far-infrared camera CA1 and the visible light camera CA2, the camera unit 100 may further include, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) or a millimeter-wave radar. Here, far-infrared rays refer to, for example, electromagnetic waves having a wavelength in the range of 8 μm to 13 μm, and visible light refers to, for example, electromagnetic waves having a wavelength in the range of 360 nm to 830 nm.

[0016] (Vehicle Glass) FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle glass according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B 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.

[0017] 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. Furthermore, one direction along the Z direction is referred to as the Z1 direction, and the direction opposite to the Z1 direction is referred to as the Z2 direction. The Z1 direction (first direction) is the thickness direction of the glass base 10 described below, and is, for example, the direction from the exterior side of the vehicle V toward the interior side when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in the vehicle V. The Z2 direction (second direction) is, for example, the direction from the interior side of the vehicle V toward the exterior side when the vehicle glass 1 is installed in the vehicle V. The X and Y directions are along the surface of the vehicle glass 1, but if the surface of the vehicle glass 1 is curved, for example, the X and Y directions 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.

[0018] 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 portion 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, a far-infrared light-transmitting region B and a visible light-transmitting region C are formed.

[0019] The far-infrared transmitting region B is a region that transmits far-infrared rays and is a region where the far-infrared camera CA1 is provided. That is, the far-infrared camera CA1 is provided at a position that overlaps with the far-infrared transmitting region B when viewed from the optical axis direction of the far-infrared camera CA1. The visible light transmitting region C is a region that transmits visible light and is a region 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.

[0020] In this way, the light-shielding region A2 has the far-infrared transmitting region B and the visible light transmitting region C formed therein, so that the light-shielding region A2 blocks far-infrared rays except in the region where the far-infrared transmitting region B is formed, and blocks visible light except in the region where the visible light transmitting region C is formed. The far-infrared transmitting region B and the visible light transmitting region C are surrounded by a light-shielding region A2a. The provision of the light-shielding region A2a around the periphery is preferable because it protects the various sensors from sunlight. It is also preferable from the standpoint of design because it makes the wiring of the various sensors invisible from outside the vehicle. A detailed description of the far-infrared transmitting region B and the visible light transmitting region C will be given later.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 3, the vehicle glass 1 includes a glass substrate 12 (first glass substrate), a glass substrate 14 (second glass substrate), 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.

[0022] The glass substrates 12, 14 may be made of, for example, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, or the like. 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 vinyl 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, for example, a single sheet of glass including only one of the glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14. When a single sheet of glass is used, the intermediate layer 16 does not need to be provided. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the glass substrates 12 and 14, the single sheet of glass is referred to as the glass substrate 10. When a single sheet of glass is used as the vehicle glass 1, it is preferable that the single sheet of glass be tempered. The tempering may be air-cooled tempering or chemical tempering, with air-cooled tempering being preferred. When an opening 19 (described later) is provided in the vehicle glass 1, it is preferable that the opening 19 is formed in the single sheet of glass before the tempering treatment, and then the single sheet of glass with the opening 19 formed therein is tempered.

[0023] The light-shielding layer 18 is a layer that blocks visible light. This prevents the refraction of light from damaging the aesthetic appearance of the glass substrate 10. The light-shielding layer 18 can be, for example, a ceramic light-shielding layer or a light-shielding film. The ceramic light-shielding layer can be, for example, a ceramic layer made of a conventionally known material, such as a black ceramic layer. The light-shielding film can be, for example, a light-shielding polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a light-shielding polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film, or a light-shielding polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film. The light-shielding layer 18 includes one surface 18A and another surface 18B. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , the one surface 18A is fixed in contact with the other surface 14B of the glass substrate 14, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the light-shielding layer 18 may be provided on the Z1 direction side of the surface 12B of the glass substrate 12. In this case, the light-shielding layer 18 does not need to be provided on the glass substrate 14.

[0024] In the present embodiment, the side of the vehicle glass 1 on which the light-shielding layer 18 is provided faces the interior side of the vehicle V (the Z1 direction side), and the glass substrate 12 faces the exterior side of the vehicle V (the Z2 direction side), but this is not limiting, and the light-shielding layer 18 may also 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 4, the visible light transmitting region C, like the light transmitting region A1, is a region in the Z direction where the glass base 10 does not include the light blocking 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 blocking layer 18 is not laminated.

[0027] (Far-infrared transmission unit) Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared transmission region of the vehicle glass. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5 , the vehicle glass 1 has an opening 19 formed therein, penetrating from one surface (surface 12A) to the other surface (surface 14B) in the Z direction. A far-infrared transmission unit U is provided within the opening 19. That is, the vehicle glass 1 according to this embodiment is a vehicle glass in which the far-infrared transmission unit U according to this embodiment is provided in the opening 19. The region in which the opening 19 is formed and the far-infrared transmission unit U is provided is the far-infrared transmission region B. That is, the far-infrared transmission region B is a region in which the opening 19 and the far-infrared transmission unit U disposed within the opening 19 are provided. The far-infrared transmission region B does not have a light-shielding layer 18. That is, the far-infrared transmission region B does not have the glass base 12, the intermediate layer 16, the glass base 14, or the light-shielding layer 18, and the far-infrared transmission unit U is provided in the formed opening 19.

[0028] The far-infrared transmitting unit U includes a far-infrared transmitting member 20 and a frame member 30 provided on the periphery of the far-infrared transmitting member 20. In the following description, the direction toward the geometric center when the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is viewed from the Z direction may be referred to as the radially inward direction, and the direction away from the geometric center may be referred to as the radially outward direction.

[0029] (Far-infrared Transmitting Member) The far-infrared transmitting member 20 preferably has an average transmittance of far-infrared rays having a wavelength of 8 to 13 μm of 25% or more, more preferably 40% or more, even more preferably 50% or more, even more preferably 70% or more, and particularly preferably 85% or more. Furthermore, the far-infrared transmitting member 20 preferably has an average transmittance of far-infrared rays having a wavelength of 8 to 13 μm of 100% or less. In order to improve the average transmittance of far-infrared rays to 85% or more, it is preferable to provide an anti-reflection film. Having the average transmittance of far-infrared rays within this range allows for appropriate transmission of far-infrared rays, enabling the far-infrared camera CA1 to fully demonstrate its performance. The transmittance of infrared rays can be measured, for example, using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (manufactured by ThermoScientific, product name: Nicolet iS10).

[0030] The material of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include ZnS, Ge, Si, and chalcogenide glass. 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: 0% to 20%. This glass preferably has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 140°C to 550°C.

[0031] In this manner, the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is attached to the opening 19 via the frame member 30, as will be described later. It is preferable that the Z2 direction surface of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is formed flush with (i.e., continuous with) the Z2 direction surface (surface 12A) of the light-shielding region A2. In other words, the Z2 direction surface 20A of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is attached so as to be continuous with the surface 12A of the glass base 12. In this embodiment, the height of the step in the Z direction between the Z2 direction surface (surface 12A) of the glass base 10 and the Z2 direction surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is less than 0.3 mm. The height of the step in the Z direction between the surface (surface 12A) of the glass substrate 10 on the Z2 direction side and the surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 on the Z2 direction side can be measured, for example, using a laser displacement meter (Keyence Corporation, inline profile measuring instrument: LJ-X8200) to irradiate the entire surface 12A of the glass substrate, the entire surface 31c of the sealing portion 33, and the entire surface 20A of the far-infrared transmitting member with a laser beam, and then from the obtained step profile. By making the outer periphery of the surface 20A of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 continuous with the surface 12A of the glass substrate 12, the wiping effect of the wiper is prevented from being impaired and deterioration due to wiper blade wear can be suppressed. Furthermore, the presence of the step can prevent the design of the vehicle V from being impaired and the risk of dust and dirt accumulating on the step. The far-infrared transmitting member 20 may be shaped to match the curved shape of the vehicle glass 1 to which it is applied. This allows the surface of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 to be designed to be smooth. The method for forming the far-infrared transparent member 20 is not particularly limited, but polishing or molding is selected depending on the curved surface shape and the member. When forming the far-infrared transparent member 20 by polishing, it is desirable to parallel polish the far-infrared transparent member 20 to improve flatness accuracy. The flatness accuracy is an index of reflective surface accuracy at a measurement wavelength of 632.8 nm, and preferably has a Newton number of 2 or less. The astigmatism, which indicates the difference between the vertical and horizontal Newton numbers, is preferably 0.5 or less, and the quirk, which indicates local distortion of Newton fringes, is preferably 0.5 or less. This allows the far-infrared camera CA1 to acquire far-infrared images without distortion.Here, the Newton number, astigmatism, and quirks can be measured according to the instructions of JIS B0091:2010 and ISO 14999-4:2007. The Newton number, astigmatism, and quirks are measured in units of the number of fringes, wavelength, and nanometers, respectively.

[0032] The far-infrared transmitting member 20 may be coated on the surface on the Z2 direction side or the surface on the Z1 direction side. For example, an anti-reflection film may be provided on the surface on the Z2 direction side (surface 20A). The anti-reflection film is preferably an anti-reflection film having 3 to 12 layers, and the material is not particularly limited, but may be Ge, Si, ZnS, ZnSe, As, ２ S ３ , As ２ Se ３ , metal oxides (Al ２ O ３ , Bi ２ O ３ , CeO ２ , CuO, HfO ２ , MgO, SiO, SiO ２ , NiO, TiO, TiO ２ , Ti ２ O ３ , Y ２ O ３ , ZrO ２ ), hydrogenated carbon, diamond-like carbon (DLC), metal fluoride (MgF ２ , CaF ２ , SrF ２ , BaF ２ , PbF ２ , LaF ３ , Y.F. ３ From the viewpoint of scratch resistance, the layer closest to the Z2 direction of the antireflection film is preferably a film having a Mohs hardness of 7 or more and high transmittance for far-infrared rays. It is particularly preferable that the layer closest to the Z2 direction of the antireflection film is a diamond-like carbon film.

[0033] The shape of the far-infrared transparent 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 far-infrared transparent member 20 is preferably disk-shaped (or cylindrical). From the standpoint of design, the surface shape of the far-infrared transparent member 20 on the Z2 direction side may be processed to match the curvature of the outer surface shape of the glass substrate 12. Furthermore, for reasons such as achieving both a wider viewing angle of the far-infrared camera CA1 and improved mechanical properties, the far-infrared transparent member 20 may be lenticular. This configuration is preferable because it allows efficient collection of far-infrared light even when the area of ​​the far-infrared transparent member 20 is small. When the far-infrared transparent member 20 is lenticular, the number of lenticular far-infrared transparent members 20 is preferably one to three, and typically one. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable that the lens-shaped far-infrared transmitting member 20 is pre-aligned and modularized, and is integrated with a housing or bracket that adheres the far-infrared camera CA1 to the vehicle glass 1.

[0034] In the vehicle glass 1 of this embodiment, the opening 19 on the surface on the Z1 direction side is preferably configured the same as the opening 19 on the surface on the Z2 direction side, and the shape of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is preferably configured so that the areas of the surfaces on the Z1 direction side and the Z2 direction side are the same accordingly. In other words, the inner wall of the opening 19 is not provided with a step, and the inner wall of the opening 19 extends along the thickness direction of the vehicle glass. This configuration facilitates the manufacture of the vehicle glass 1 and the far-infrared transmitting member 20. Furthermore, when the vehicle glass 1 of this embodiment is a laminated glass including a glass base 12 on the Z2 direction side and a glass base 14 on the Z1 direction side, the opening 19 is formed by overlapping the opening 12a of the glass base 12 and the opening 14a of the glass base 14. In this case, the opening 12a of the glass base 12 is made to overlap with the opening 14a of the glass base 14, and a far-infrared transmitting member 20 that matches the size of the opening 12a of the glass base 12 is placed inside the opening 12a of the glass base 12.

[0035] From the viewpoint of strength, the thickness of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is preferably 1.0 mm or more, more preferably 1.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 2.0 mm or more. The upper limit of the thickness of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is not particularly limited, but is usually 5.0 mm or less. The thickness here refers to the length of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in the Z direction.

[0036] (Frame Member) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sealing portion in a vehicle glass. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a frame member in a vehicle glass. The frame member 30 is disposed between the inner wall of the opening 19 in the glass base 10 and the far-infrared transparent member 20. The shape of the frame member 30 is not particularly limited, but when the far-infrared transparent member 20 is disk-shaped, the frame member 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape and disposed on the periphery of the far-infrared transparent member 20. The frame member 30 has a sealing portion 33 disposed between the far-infrared transparent member 20 and the glass base 10, an adhesive portion 34 formed on the Z1 direction side of the sealing portion 33, and a support portion 35 formed on the Z1 direction side of the adhesive portion 34. The sealing portion 33 is interposed between the far-infrared transparent member 20 and the glass base 10 and functions as a sealant. The sealing portion 33 has a first holding portion 31 that holds the far-infrared transparent member 20 and a second holding portion 32 formed on the Z1 direction side of the first holding portion 31 that holds the glass base 10. In this embodiment, the seal portion 33 is formed in a cylindrical shape that covers the peripheral edge of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 .

[0037] The seal portion 33 is formed in a stepped shape such that the inner diameter on the Z1 direction side is smaller than the Z2 direction side by forming the inner diameter of the second retaining portion 32 smaller than the inner diameter of the first retaining portion 31. As shown in FIG. 7 , the first retaining portion 31 of the seal portion 33 is a tubular member extending in the Z direction. The second retaining portion 32 is a tubular member extending in the Z direction from the radially inner side of the first retaining portion 31. With this shape, when the far-infrared transparent member 20 is fitted into the seal portion 33 in the manufacture of the far-infrared transmission unit U, the surface 20B on the Z1 direction side of the far-infrared transparent member 20 is supported by the step between the first retaining portion 31 and the second retaining portion 32. This makes it easy to determine the position of the far-infrared transparent member 20 in the Z direction relative to the seal portion 33, facilitating assembly of the seal portion 33 to the far-infrared transparent member 20.

[0038] The adhesive portion 34 is disposed on the peripheral edge portion and on the Z1 direction side of the second retaining portion 32. The adhesive portion 34 extends radially outward from the second retaining portion 32. The adhesive portion 34 is provided between the second retaining portion 32 and the glass substrate 10, between the second retaining portion 32 and the support portion 35, and between the glass substrate 10 and the support portion 35 when the frame member 30 is attached to the vehicle glass 1. As such, the adhesive portion 34 is in contact with the glass substrate 10, the seal portion 33, and the support portion 35, and therefore, deterioration of the water-stopping property and the load-bearing property can be suppressed even if the seal portion 33 deteriorates over time.

[0039] The support portion 35 is disposed on the Z1 direction side of the adhesive portion 34. The support portion 35 extends radially outward relative to the second holding portion 32. In the example of FIG. 5 , the support portion 35 is a ring-shaped member. As a result, the support portion 35 is disposed on the Z1 direction side of the adhesive portion 34, and therefore, even if a load is applied from the outside of the vehicle V due to a car wash or the like, the far-infrared transmission unit U can be prevented from coming off the opening of the glass base 10. Note that the shape of the support portion 35 is not limited to being ring-shaped. The shape of the support portion 35 may be any shape that ensures a bonding area between the support portion 35 and the glass base 10 to the extent that sufficient resistance can be exerted against the load in the Z1 direction, and for example, the outer periphery may have a shape other than a circle.

[0040] 7, the frame member 30 is attached so that the inner peripheral surface 31a of the first holding portion 31 contacts the peripheral portion (outer peripheral surface) of the far-infrared ray transmitting member 20 and the surface 32c on the Z2 direction side of the second holding portion 32 contacts the surface 20B on the Z1 direction side of the far-infrared ray transmitting member 20. That is, the frame member 30 is fixed to the far-infrared ray transmitting member 20 by the inner peripheral surface 31a and the surface 32c. Note that an adhesive may be applied to the inner peripheral surface 31a and the surface 32c to hold the far-infrared ray transmitting member 20. 7 , the outer peripheral surface 31b of the first holding portion 31 contacts the inner wall of the opening 12a of the glass base 12, the outer peripheral surface 32a of the second holding portion 32 contacts the inner wall of the opening 14a of the glass base 14 via the adhesive portion 34, and the Z2-direction surface 35a of the support portion 35 contacts the Z1-direction surface 32d of the second holding portion 32 and the surface 18B of the light-shielding layer 18 via the adhesive portion 34. That is, the frame member 30 is fixed to the glass base 10 (glass bases 12, 14) by the outer peripheral surface 31b of the first holding portion 31, the outer peripheral surface 32a of the second holding portion 32, and the adhesive portion 34 provided on the Z2-direction surface 35a of the support portion 35. Note that an adhesive may be applied to the outer peripheral surface 31b to hold the glass base 10.

[0041] It is preferable that the surface 31c on the Z2 direction side of the first holding portion 31 is formed flush with (i.e., continuous with) the surface 20A on the Z2 direction side of the far-infrared transparent member 20 and the surface 12A on the Z2 direction side of the glass base 12. In other words, the surface 31c on the Z2 direction side of the first holding portion 31 is attached so as to be continuous with the surface 20A on the Z2 direction side of the far-infrared transparent member 20 and the surface 12A of the glass base 12. In this embodiment, the height of the step in the Z direction between the surface (surface 31c) on the Z2 direction side of the seal portion 33 and the surface (surface 20A) on the Z2 direction side of the far-infrared transparent member 20 is less than 0.3 mm, and the height of the step in the Z direction between the surface (surface 31c) on the Z2 direction side of the seal portion 33 and the surface 12A on the Z2 direction side of the glass base 12 is less than 0.3 mm. In this way, the Z2-direction side surface 31c of the first holding portion 31 is continuous with the Z2-direction side surface 20A of the far-infrared transparent member 20 and the surface 12A of the glass substrate 12, thereby preventing the wiping effect of the wiper from being impaired. Furthermore, the presence of a step can prevent the design of the vehicle V from being impaired and dust and other particles from accumulating on the step. The height of the step in the Z direction between the Z2-direction side surface (surface 31c) of the seal portion 33 and the Z2-direction side surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transparent member 20 can be measured, for example, from a step profile obtained by irradiating the entire surface 31c of the seal portion 33 of the glass substrate and the entire surface 20A of the far-infrared transparent member with a laser displacement meter (Keyence Corporation, inline profile measuring instrument: LJ-X8200). Furthermore, the height of the step in the Z direction between the surface (surface 31c) on the Z2 direction side of the sealing portion 33 and the surface 12A on the Z2 direction side of the glass substrate 12 can be measured, for example, by using a laser displacement meter (Keyence Corporation, inline profile measuring instrument: LJ-X8200) to irradiate the entire surface 31c of the sealing portion 33 and the surface 12A of the glass substrate with a laser, and from the obtained step profile.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5 , the length (inner diameter) of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the inner circumference of the frame member 30 on the Z2-direction side facing the opening 19 is defined as inner diameter D. The inner diameter D is preferably 18 mm or more and 76 mm or less, more preferably 25 mm or more and 70 mm or less, and even more preferably 30 mm or more and 60 mm or less. The inner diameter D is the inner diameter of the frame member 30 on the Z2-direction side, in other words, the inner diameter of the second holding portion 32. By ensuring that the inner diameter D falls within this range, the area covered by the far-infrared transmitting member 20 can be maintained within an appropriate range. Here, the inner diameter D refers to the length of the far-infrared transmitting unit U when it is attached to the glass substrate 10. For example, when the glass is bent to have a shape suitable for installation in the vehicle V, the inner diameter D refers to the length of the glass after bending. The same applies to dimensions and positions other than the inner diameter D unless otherwise specified.

[0043] The outer diameter DL is the length (outer diameter) of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the outer periphery of the frame member 30 on the Z1-direction surface facing the opening 19. The outer diameter DL is preferably 22 mm to 100 mm, more preferably 29 mm to 94 mm, and even more preferably 34 mm to 84 mm. Having the outer diameter DL within this range prevents the width of the frame member 30 from becoming too large. Note that if the vehicle glass 1 is not laminated glass, the frame member 30 may be tapered so that the outer diameter DL decreases from the Z2-direction side to the Z1-direction side.

[0044] The seal portion 33 is formed of an elastomer such as ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or silicone rubber. This allows the seal portion 33 to have sufficient weather resistance (e.g., UV resistance), water resistance, abrasion resistance, and heat resistance. Furthermore, the color of the seal portion 33 is preferably black, which improves aesthetics.

[0045] The adhesive portion 34 is formed of an adhesive such as a urethane adhesive, modified silicone adhesive, etc. This improves the load-bearing capacity, heat resistance, and cold resistance, and also improves the adhesive force and shear strength.

[0046] The support portion 35 is formed of a high-strength material, such as a metal material (e.g., steel or aluminum), or a resin material (e.g., ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin, AES (Acrylonitrile ethylene styrene) resin, or fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP). Here, fiber-reinforced plastic refers to a material containing at least one inorganic material (e.g., glass fiber or carbon fiber) and at least one resin material (e.g., unsaturated polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, or epoxy resin). This prevents the far-infrared transmitting member 20 from coming off the glass substrate 10 due to a load from the outside of the vehicle, thereby improving load-bearing capacity and adhesion to the adhesive joint.

[0047] (Load-bearing capacity) In the first embodiment, when a load of 20 kgf is applied to the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in a ring-on-ring bending test and then the load is removed, the height of the step in the Z1 direction between the surface (surface 12A) of the glass base 12 on the Z2 direction side and the surface (surface 31c) of the sealing portion 33 on the Z2 direction side is preferably less than 1.2 mm, more preferably less than 0.6 mm, even more preferably less than 0.3 mm, and most preferably 0.0 mm. This makes it possible to prevent the far-infrared transmitting member 20 from slipping out of the opening 19 of the glass base 10, even if a load is applied from the outside of the vehicle V so as to push the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in, for example, during a car wash. Furthermore, when a load of 50 kgf is applied to the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 in a ring-on-ring bending test and then the load is removed, the height of the step in the Z1 direction between the surface (surface 12A) of the glass substrate 12 facing the Z2 direction and the surface (surface 31c) of the sealing portion 33 facing the Z2 direction is preferably less than 1.2 mm, more preferably less than 0.6 mm, even more preferably less than 0.3 mm, and most preferably 0.0 mm. This further prevents the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 from slipping out of the opening 19 of the glass substrate 10, even if a load is applied from the outside of the vehicle V, such as when washing the vehicle V, so as to push the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 in. In this embodiment, a vehicle glass having the above-described load-bearing capacity can be obtained by appropriately selecting the shapes, materials, sizes, etc. of the sealing portion 33, the adhesive portion 34, and the supporting portion 35 from those described above. Here, the ring-on-ring bending test is a biaxial stress test specified in ASTM C1499-05. In the ring-on-ring test for the vehicle glass 1 according to the first embodiment, two concentric rings with different diameters are prepared. Of the two rings, the smaller-diameter ring (small ring) has an outer periphery with a diameter smaller than the inner diameter D. Of the two rings, the larger-diameter ring (large ring) has an inner periphery with a diameter larger than the outer diameter DL. The test begins with a test piece cut out of the vehicle glass 1 to a size of 30 cm square, centered on the geometric center of the far-infrared transmitting member 20. The test begins with the small ring placed against the surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 facing in the Z2 direction, and the large ring placed against the surface of the glass substrate 10 facing in the Z1 direction.At this time, the centers of the large ring and the small ring are adjusted so that they overlap the geometric center of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in a planar view in the Z direction. Then, a ring-on-ring bending test is performed by pressing the small ring in the Z1 direction and applying a load. After the load is removed from the vehicle glass 1, the height of the step in the Z direction between the surface (surface 12A) of the glass substrate 10 on the Z2 direction side and the surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 on the Z2 direction side is measured. The height of the step can be measured, for example, by using a laser displacement meter (Keyence Corporation, inline profile measuring instrument: LJ-X8200) to irradiate a laser onto the surface 12A of the glass substrate, the entire surface 31c of the seal portion 33, and the entire surface 20A of the far-infrared transmitting member, and then from the obtained step profile.

[0048] (Far-infrared ray transmitting region) Next, the far-infrared ray transmitting region B will be described. As shown in Fig. 2 , the far-infrared ray transmitting region B is formed near the upper edge portion 1a of the vehicle glass 1 in the Y direction and near the center of the vehicle glass 1 in the X direction. The opening 19 and the far-infrared ray transmitting member 20 are formed near the upper edge portion 1a of the vehicle glass 1 in the Y direction and near the center of the vehicle glass 1 in the X direction.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3 , the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in the far-infrared transmitting region B has a length DA of the longest straight line connecting any two points in the plane on the Z2 direction side, which is 80 mm or less. The length DA is preferably 70 mm or less, more preferably 65 mm or less, and even more preferably 50 mm or less. The length DA is preferably 25 mm or more, more preferably 30 mm or more, and even more preferably 35 mm or more. The length DA can also be said to be the length of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the inner circumference of the first holding portion 31 of the frame member 30 in the same plane perpendicular to the Z direction, i.e., the inner diameter of the first holding portion 31. The opening 19 in the far-infrared transmitting region B has a length DB of the longest straight line connecting any two points in the plane on the Z2 direction side, which is preferably 80 mm or less. The length DB is more preferably 74 mm or less, even more preferably 69 mm or less, and even more preferably 54 mm or less. The length DB is preferably 29 mm or more, more preferably 34 mm or more, and even more preferably 39 mm or more. The length DB can also be considered the length of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the periphery of the opening 19 on the Z2-direction surface (surface 12A) of the vehicle glass 1. The length DB can also be considered the length of the longest straight line connecting any two points on the periphery of the first retaining portion 31 of the frame member 30 in the same plane perpendicular to the Z direction (i.e., the outer diameter of the first retaining portion 31). By setting the length DA of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 and the length DB of the opening 19 within these ranges, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the strength of the vehicle glass 1 and reduce the amount of perspective distortion around the opening 19 while maintaining the image quality of the far-infrared camera. Furthermore, the lengths DA and DB are determined appropriately to prevent distortion, taking into account the expansion of each material within the operating temperature range. Furthermore, a gap may be provided in advance to prevent distortion due to expansion. When the shape of the surface on the Z2 direction side of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is circular, the lengths DA and DB are lengths corresponding to the diameter of the surface on the Z2 direction side. Here, the lengths DA and DB refer to the lengths of the vehicle glass 1 when it is mounted on the vehicle V. For example, when the glass is bent into a shape to be mounted on the vehicle V, the lengths DA and DB are the lengths of the glass after bending.The same applies to the descriptions of dimensions and positions other than the lengths DA and DB unless otherwise specified.

[0050] (Visible Light Transmission Region) Next, the visible light transmission region C will be described. As shown in FIG. 2 , the visible light transmission region C is preferably provided near the far-infrared light transmission region B. Specifically, the center of the far-infrared light 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 far-infrared light 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 or equal to 100 mm, and more preferably greater than or equal to 10 mm and less than or equal to 80 mm. By positioning the visible light transmission region C within this range relative to the far-infrared light transmission region B, it is possible to capture images at close positions with the far-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. By capturing images of nearby locations using the far-infrared camera CA1 and the visible light camera CA2, the load when processing the data obtained from each camera is reduced, and the routing of power and signal cables is also optimized.

[0051] Returning to Fig. 2, the visible light transmitting region C and the far-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 far-infrared transmitting region B, but is preferably aligned with the far-infrared transmitting region B in the X direction. By arranging the visible light transmitting region C next to the far-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 ensured.

[0052] Like the far-infrared transmitting region B, the visible light transmitting region C is preferably located near the upper edge portion 1a in the Y direction and near the far-infrared transmitting region B in the X direction. By locating the visible light transmitting region C in this position, it becomes possible to capture images at close positions with the far-infrared camera CA1 and the visible light camera CA2, while suppressing the amount of perspective distortion in the visible light transmitting region C, allowing the visible light camera CA2 to capture an appropriate image.

[0053] (Configuration of camera unit) Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the camera unit 100 of this embodiment, more specifically, a configuration example in which the far-infrared camera CA1 is attached to the vehicle glass 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example in which the far-infrared camera is attached to the vehicle glass.

[0054] The camera unit 100 of this embodiment includes a vehicle glass 1, a far-infrared camera CA1, and a visible light camera CA2. The vehicle glass 1 is as described above. The far-infrared camera CA1 is attached to the vehicle glass 1 so as to capture an external thermal image through the far-infrared transmission region B of the vehicle glass 1. The far-infrared camera CA1 is provided inside the vehicle V (interior) at a position facing the far-infrared transmission region B. The type of far-infrared camera CA1 is not particularly limited, and a known far-infrared camera can be used. As shown in FIG. 8 , the far-infrared camera CA1 is attached to the vehicle glass 1 by, for example, a bracket 40. The far-infrared camera CA1 is usually attached so that the optical axis LX is approximately horizontal.

[0055] The visible light camera CA2 is attached to the vehicle glass 1 so as to capture an image of the outside through the visible light transmission area C of the vehicle glass 1. The visible light camera CA2 is provided inside the vehicle V (interior) at a position facing the visible light transmission area C. The visible light camera CA2 is preferably attached so that the optical axis LX of the far-infrared camera CA1 and the optical axis of the visible light camera CA2 are approximately parallel. "Approximately parallel" is a concept that includes not only cases where these optical axes are completely parallel, but also cases where they are slightly deviated from parallelism by an amount within a margin of error. By doing so, the optical axis LX of the far-infrared camera CA1 and the center of the field of view of the visible light camera CA2 approximately coincide, which is preferable when combining images obtained from these cameras for information processing.

[0056] (Method for Manufacturing Vehicle Glass) The method for manufacturing the vehicle glass 1 is not particularly limited, and an example thereof will be described below. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the method for manufacturing a vehicle glass according to the first embodiment. As shown in the example of FIG. 9 , the seal portion 33 is attached to the peripheral edge portion of the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 from the Z1 direction side (step S10). At this time, the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 is held by the inner peripheral surface 31a of the first holding portion 31 and the Z2 direction side surface 32c of the second holding portion 32. As a result, the Z2 direction side surface 20A of the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 and the Z2 direction side surface (surface 31c) of the seal portion 33 are flush with each other. Then, the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 with the attached seal portion 33 is placed in the opening 19 (step S12). At this time, a flat plate or a plate conforming to the shape of the Z2 direction surface 12A of the glass base 12 is applied to the Z2 direction surface 12A of the far-infrared transmitting member 20, and the position of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in the Z direction is adjusted. This makes the Z2 direction surface 20A of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 flush with the Z2 direction surface 12A of the glass base 12. After this step, the seal portion 33, the glass base 12, and the intermediate layer 16 may be fused together by heat treatment at a temperature lower than the temperature at which thermal degradation of the intermediate layer 16 occurs. This further improves sealing properties. Then, a portion of the adhesive portion 34a is injected into the space between the peripheral edge of the second holding portion 32 of the sealing portion 33 and the inner wall of the opening in the glass substrate 10 (the glass substrate 14 and the light-shielding layer 18) (step S14), and the remaining adhesive portion 34b is applied to the Z1-direction surface of the second holding portion 32 and the radially inner side of the Z1-direction surface of the glass substrate 10 (the Z1-direction surface 18B of the light-shielding layer 18), and the support portion 35 is attached from the Z1-direction side via the adhesive portion 34b (step S16). The above steps complete the manufacture of the vehicle glass 1. This allows the vehicle glass 1 to be easily manufactured without applying high thermal or mechanical loads.

[0057] Here, the glass substrate 10 according to the first embodiment can be manufactured, for example, by the following method. First, flat glass substrates 12 and 14 are prepared, and openings 12a and 14a are formed therein. Then, the flat glass substrates 12 and 14 with the openings 12a and 14a formed therein are each bent to a shape that fits the windshield of the vehicle V. The bent glass substrates 12 and 14 are then bonded together via an intermediate layer 16 to form laminated glass. In this case, the glass substrates 12 and 14 are bonded together so that the openings 12a and 14a communicate with each other, but without the intermediate layer 16 being formed at the communicating portion. After the laminated glass is formed, the intermediate layer 16 may be removed by thermal or chemical techniques only at the portions that overlap the openings 12a and 14a to form the communication between them. This allows the openings 12a and 14a to communicate with each other, forming an opening 19. The light-shielding layer 18 may be formed at any stage, for example, before bending. Alternatively, the light-shielding layer 18 may not be formed at all. The opening 19 may be formed after bonding the glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14. In this case, the glass substrate 10 is manufactured by preparing the flat glass substrates 12 and 14. Next, a black ceramic print material, for example, is applied to the glass substrate 14 as the light-shielding layer 18, and then bending the glass substrates 12 and 14. Next, the bent glass substrates 12 and 14 are bonded together via the intermediate layer 16 to form laminated glass. The openings 12a and 14a are then formed in the laminated glass at the same time. This results in the opening 19.

[0058] 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared ray transmitting region of a vehicle glass according to a second embodiment. In the frame member 30A of the far-infrared ray transmitting unit U according to the second embodiment, the support portion 35A differs from the first embodiment in that it further includes a second support portion 37 extending in the Z direction on the radially inner side of the frame member 30A.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 10 , in the second embodiment, the support portion 35A includes a first support portion 36 and a second support portion 37. The first support portion 36 is the same member as the support portion 35 in the first embodiment. The second support portion 37 is a member disposed radially inward of the second holding portion 32 of the seal portion 33 and the adhesive portion 34A. This further improves the load-bearing capacity. Note that, in the example shown in FIG. 10 , the first support portion 36 and the second support portion 37 are separate members, but this is not limiting, and the support portion 35A may be a member in which the first support portion 36 and the second support portion 37 are integrated.

[0060] 10 , the second support portion 37 is in contact with the surface 20B of the far-infrared transparent member 20 on the Z1 direction side at the Z2 direction. This allows the far-infrared transparent member 20 to be supported by the second support portion 37, thereby further improving the load-bearing capacity. Note that in the example of FIG. 10 , the surface of the second support portion 37 on the Z2 direction side is in contact with the surface 20B of the far-infrared transparent member 20 on the Z1 direction side, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the surface of the second support portion 37 on the Z2 direction side may be a rounded surface, and in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 10 , a point on the surface of the second support portion 37 on the Z2 direction side may be in contact with the surface 20B of the far-infrared transparent member 20 on the Z1 direction side.

[0061] In the example of FIG. 10, there is no step on the outer peripheral surface of the seal portion 33, but this is merely an example, and the seal portion 33 may have the same shape as that of the first embodiment, for example.

[0062] 10 , the adhesive portion 34A is also provided between the outer peripheral surface of the second support portion 37 and the inner peripheral surface of the glass base 10 or the second holding portion 32. That is, in the example of Fig. 10 , the adhesive portion 34A is in contact with the glass base 10, the far-infrared transmitting member 20, the seal portion 33, the first support portion 36, and the second support portion 37. This further strengthens the adhesion between the frame member 30A and the glass base 10 or the far-infrared transmitting member 20.

[0063] Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared ray transmitting region of the vehicle glass according to the first modified example. The vehicle glass and the far-infrared ray transmitting unit according to the second embodiment are not limited to those shown in Fig. 10, and may be, for example, as shown in Fig. 11.

[0064] In the first modification, the support portion 35B contacts the inner wall of the opening 14a of the glass base 14. In this case as well, the load-bearing capacity can be further improved.

[0065] In the first modified example, the support portion 35B is a member in which the first support portion 36 and the second support portion 37 are integrated together. In this case as well, the load-bearing capacity can be further improved.

[0066] 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared ray transmitting region of a vehicle glass according to a third embodiment. In a frame member 30C of the far-infrared ray transmitting unit according to the third embodiment, a support portion 35C differs from the first embodiment in that it further includes a third support portion 38 extending in the Z direction on the radially inner side of the frame member 30C.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 12 , in the third embodiment, the support portion 35C includes a first support portion 36, a second support portion 37, and a third support portion 38. The first support portion 36 is the same member as the support portion 35 in the first embodiment. The second support portion 37 is the same member as that described in the second embodiment. The third support portion 38 corresponds to the chamfered portion of the corner formed by the first support portion 36 and the second support portion 37 of the support portion 35C and is provided between the first support portion 36 and the second support portion 37. The Z1-direction surface of the third support portion 38 extends from the Z1-direction side and the radially outer side to the Z2-direction side and the radially inner side. In the example shown in FIG. 12 , the third support portion 38 is a ring-shaped member. This prevents a portion of the field of view of the far-infrared camera CA1 from being blocked by the support portion 35C, thereby widening the field of view of the far-infrared camera CA1. In the example of Figure 12, the support portion 35C is a member in which the first support portion 36, the second support portion 37, and the third support portion 38 are integrated, but this is not limited to this and they may be separate members.

[0068] Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared ray transmitting region of the vehicle glass according to the second modified example. The vehicle glass and the far-infrared ray transmitting unit U according to the third embodiment are not limited to those shown in Fig. 11 and may be, for example, as shown in Fig. 13.

[0069] In the second modified example, the support portion 35D contacts the surface of the seal portion 33 on the Z1 direction side. In the example of FIG. 13 , the support portion 35D has a protrusion 39 on its Z2 direction side that contacts the surface of the seal portion 33 on the Z1 direction side. The protrusion 39 is a ring-shaped protrusion provided radially outward of the second support portion 37. This allows the surface of the seal portion 33 on the Z1 direction side to be supported by the support portion 35D, further improving the load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, the support portion 35D may further include a fourth support portion, instead of the protrusion 39, that has a surface that contacts the surface of the seal portion 33 on the Z1 direction side.

[0070] In the second modification, the support portion 35D contacts the inner wall of the opening 14a of the glass base 14. In this case as well, the load-bearing capacity can be further improved.

[0071] The vehicle glass according to this embodiment is not limited to the embodiment described above. Other modifications will be described below.

[0072] (Third Modification) FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a frame member in a vehicle glass according to a third modification. As shown in FIG. 14 , the seal portion 33E may have a protruding surface 31Eb on a portion of its radially outer surface. In the third modification, the protruding surface 31Eb is provided on the radially outer surface of the seal portion 33E, except for a portion facing the inner wall of the opening in the glass substrate 12. This prevents a gap from forming between the seal portion 33E and the glass substrate 12, thereby reducing water-tightness. In the example shown in FIG. 14 , the protruding surface 31Eb is provided so as to be sandwiched between the glass substrate 12 and the glass substrate 14. This improves the adhesion of the seal portion 33E to the glass substrate 10 and improves water-tightness. Note that the third modification can be combined with the embodiment and other modifications of the present disclosure.

[0073] (Fourth Modification) FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a frame member in a vehicle glass according to a fourth modification. As shown in FIG. 15, the surface 33Fc on the Z2 side of the seal portion 33F does not need to be flush at temperatures other than room temperature. In the fourth modification, in a high-temperature environment, i.e., an environment with a temperature higher than 35°C, the seal portion 33F thermally expands, causing the Z2-side surface 33Fc1 to slightly protrude in the Z2 direction (right diagram in FIG. 15). Even in this case, significant deterioration in wiper wiping performance can be suppressed. On the other hand, in a low-temperature environment, i.e., an environment with a temperature lower than 5°C, the seal portion 33F thermally contracts, causing the Z2-side surface 33Fc2 to slightly recess in the Z1 direction (left diagram in FIG. 15). Even in this case, deterioration in water-stopping properties and deterioration in appearance can be suppressed. Even in this case, significant deterioration in wiper wiping performance for water droplets and snow can be suppressed. The fourth modification can be combined with the embodiment of the present disclosure and other modifications.

[0074] (Fifth Modification) FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the far-infrared transmitting region of a vehicle glass according to a fifth modification. As shown in FIG. 16 , even when the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is provided on a curved glass substrate 10, the far-infrared transmitting member 20 may be flat. Here, as shown in FIG. 16 , if the surface 12A on the Z2 side of the glass substrate 10 is assumed to be spherical and an imaginary surface extending radially inward is defined as a virtual surface 12C, the distance t in the Z direction between the virtual surface 12C and the geometric center 20C of the surface 20A on the Z2 side of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is preferably 0.4 mm or less, more preferably 0.3 mm or less. This prevents significant deterioration in the wiping performance of the wiper. The fifth modification can be combined with the embodiment and other modifications of the present disclosure.

[0075] (Effects) As described above, the vehicle glass 1 according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle glass having a glass base 10 and a light-shielding region A2. The light-shielding region A2 is formed with an opening 19 formed in the glass base 10 and a far-infrared-transmitting region B in which a far-infrared-transmitting member 20 arranged in the opening 19 is provided. The glass base 10 and the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 are joined via a frame member 30. The frame member 30 has a seal portion 33 sandwiched between the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 and the glass base 10, a support portion 35 provided on the seal portion 33 and the glass base 10 in a first direction (Z1 direction), which is the thickness direction of the glass base 10, and an adhesive portion 34 located between the seal portion 33 and the support portion 35. The height of the step in the first direction between the surface (surface 12A) of the glass base 10 facing in the second direction (direction Z2) opposite to the first direction and the surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 facing in the second direction is less than 0.3 mm. This allows the seal portion 33 to improve water-stopping properties, while the frame member 30 prevents the vehicle glass 1 from being deformed by a load from the outside of the vehicle and the far-infrared transmitting member 20 from slipping out of the opening 19 of the glass base 10, thereby improving load-bearing capacity.

[0076] A vehicle glass 1 according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle glass having a glass base 10 and a light-shielding region A2. The light-shielding region A2 is formed with an opening 19 formed in the glass base 10 and a far-infrared-transmitting region B in which a far-infrared-transmitting member 20 disposed in the opening 19 is provided. The glass base 10 and the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 are joined via a frame member 30. The frame member 30 has a seal portion 33 sandwiched between the far-infrared-transmitting member 20 and the glass base 10, a support portion 35 provided on the seal portion 33 and the glass base 10 in a first direction (Z1 direction), which is the thickness direction of the glass base 10, and an adhesive portion 34 located between the seal portion 33 and the support portion 35. When a load of 20 kgf is applied to the far-infrared transmitting member 20 in a ring-on-ring bending test and then the load is removed, the height of the step in the first direction between the surface (surface 12A) of the glass base 10 facing in the second direction (Z2 direction) opposite to the first direction and the surface (surface 20A) of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 facing in the second direction is less than 1.2 mm. This enables the seal portion 33 to improve water-stopping properties, while the frame member 30 to prevent deformation of the vehicle glass 1 due to a load from the outside of the vehicle and slipping of the far-infrared transmitting member 20 from the opening 19 of the glass base 10, thereby improving load-bearing capacity.

[0077] A vehicle glass 1 according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to the first or second aspect, wherein the sealing portion 33 has a first retaining portion 31 and a second retaining portion 32 that is provided contiguous with the first retaining portion 31 on the first direction side and has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the first retaining portion 31. The far-infrared transmitting member 20 is provided radially inward of the first retaining portion 31 and on the second direction side of the second retaining portion 32. This makes it easy to adjust the position of the vehicle glass 1 in the thickness direction relative to the frame member 30.

[0078] The vehicle glass 1 according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the seal portion 33 has a protrusion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the first holding portion 31. This improves adhesion between the seal portion 33 and the glass base, thereby improving watertightness.

[0079] A vehicle glass 1 according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the adhesive portion 34 is provided radially outward of the seal portion 33. This allows the adhesive portion 34 to maintain watertightness even if the seal portion 33 deteriorates.

[0080] A vehicle glass 1 according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the support portion 35 has a first support portion 36 having an outer diameter larger than the maximum outer diameter of the seal portion 33, and a second support portion 37 provided on the second direction side of the first support portion 36 and having an outer diameter smaller than the minimum inner diameter of the seal portion 33. As a result, the radially inner side of the support portion 35 is supported by the second support portion 37, thereby further improving load-bearing capacity.

[0081] The vehicle glass 1 according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to the sixth aspect, wherein the second support portion 37 contacts the surface on the first direction side of the far-infrared transmitting member 20. As a result, the far-infrared transmitting member 20 is supported by the second support portion 37, thereby further improving the load-bearing capacity.

[0082] A vehicle glass 1 according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to the sixth or seventh aspect, wherein the support portion 35 further includes a third support portion 38 that connects the first support portion 36 and the second support portion 37. At least a portion of the surface of the third support portion 38 has a normal direction facing the first direction, that is, from the outer diameter toward the inner diameter. This makes it possible to widen the field of view of the far-infrared camera CA1 located on the first direction side of the far-infrared transmitting member 20.

[0083] The vehicle glass 1 according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the sixth to eighth aspects, wherein the support portion 35 contacts the surface on the first direction side of the seal portion 33. This allows the far-infrared transmitting member 20 to be supported by the support portion 35, thereby further improving the load-bearing capacity.

[0084] A vehicle glass 1 according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the seal portion 33 contains at least one of ethylene propylene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, and silicone rubber, thereby improving the water-stopping properties of the frame-shaped portion.

[0085] The vehicle glass 1 according to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the support portion 35 contains at least one of steel, aluminum, ABS resin, AES resin, and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the frame-shaped portion.

[0086] A vehicle glass 1 according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is the vehicle glass 1 according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the adhesive portion 34 contains at least one of urethane and modified silicone, thereby improving the water-stopping properties and load-bearing capacity of the frame-shaped portion.

[0087] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments are not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the scope of what is called equivalents. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments.

[0088] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle glass 1a Upper edge portion 1b Lower edge portion 1c, 1d Side edge portions 10, 12, 14 Glass base 16 Intermediate layer 18 Light-shielding layer 19 Opening 20 Far-infrared transmitting member 30 Frame member 31 First holding portion 32 Second holding portion 33 Sealing portion 34 Adhesive portion 35 Support portion 36 First support portion 37 Second support portion 38 Third support portion 39 Protrusion 40 Bracket 100 Camera unit A1 Light-transmitting region A2 Light-shielding region B Far-infrared transmitting region C Visible light transmitting region CA1 Far-infrared camera CA2 Visible light camera D Inner diameter U Far-infrared transmitting unit V Vehicle

Claims

1. A vehicle glass having a glass substrate and including a light-shielding region, wherein a far-infrared transmission region is formed in the light-shielding region, the far-infrared transmission region being provided with an opening formed in the glass substrate and a far-infrared transmission member disposed in the opening; the glass substrate and the far-infrared transmission member are joined via a frame member; the frame member has a seal portion sandwiched between the far-infrared transmission member and the glass substrate, a support portion provided on the first direction side, which is the thickness direction of the glass substrate, of the seal portion and the glass substrate, and an adhesive portion between the seal portion and the support portion; and a height of a step in the first direction between a surface on the second direction side, which is opposite to the first direction, of the glass substrate and a surface on the second direction side of the far-infrared transmission member is less than 0.3 mm.

2. A vehicle glass having a glass substrate and including a light-shielding region, wherein a far-infrared transmission region is formed in the light-shielding region, the far-infrared transmission region being provided with an opening formed in the glass substrate and a far-infrared transmission member disposed in the opening; the glass substrate and the far-infrared transmission member are joined via a frame member; the frame member has a seal portion sandwiched between the far-infrared transmission member and the glass substrate, a support portion provided on the first direction side, which is the thickness direction of the glass substrate, of the seal portion and the glass substrate, and an adhesive portion between the seal portion and the support portion; and after applying a load of 20 kgf to the far-infrared transmission member by a ring-on-ring bending test and removing the load, a height of a step in the first direction between a surface on the second direction side, which is opposite to the first direction, of the glass substrate and a surface on the second direction side of the far-infrared transmission member is less than 1.2 mm.

3. The seal portion has a first holding portion and a second holding portion continuously provided on the first direction side of the first holding portion and having an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the first holding portion; the far-infrared transmission member is provided inside the first holding portion in the radial direction and on the second direction side of the second holding portion, according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The seal portion has a protruding portion protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the first holding portion, according to claim 3.

5. The adhesive portion is provided outside the seal portion in the radial direction, according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The support portion includes a first support portion having an outer diameter larger than the maximum outer diameter of the seal portion, and a second support portion provided on the second direction side of the first support portion and having an outer diameter smaller than the minimum inner diameter of the seal portion. The vehicle glass according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The second support portion contacts the surface of the far-infrared transmitting member on the first direction side. The vehicle glass according to claim 6.

8. The support portion further includes a third support portion connecting the first support portion and the second support portion. At least a part of the surface of the third support portion has a normal direction facing the first direction side and a direction from the outer diameter to the inner diameter. The vehicle glass according to claim 6.

9. The support portion contacts the surface of the seal portion on the first direction side. The vehicle glass according to claim 6.

10. The seal portion includes at least one of ethylene propylene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, and silicone rubber. The vehicle glass according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The support portion includes at least one of steel, aluminum, ABS resin, AES resin, and fiber-reinforced plastic. The vehicle glass according to claim 1 or 2.

12. The adhesive portion includes at least one of urethane and modified silicone. The vehicle glass according to claim 1 or 2.

Images