Digital rearview mirror

Abstract

Disclosed is a digital rearview mirror which comprises: a display storage unit formed on an indoor ceiling of a vehicle; a display unit which electronically displays information of the vehicle and moves between a storage position where the display unit is stored in the display storage unit and a rearview mirror position where a driver can watch a screen; a pop-up driving unit for driving the display unit between the storage position and the rearview mirror position; and a display power driving unit for supplying power to the display unit when the display unit is in the rearview mirror position and cutting off the power supplied to the display unit when the display unit is in the storage position. Therefore, the present invention provides the digital rearview mirror capable of reducing costs and improving the interior esthetics of a vehicle.

Description

digital rearview mirror

[0001] The present invention relates to a rearview mirror for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a digital rearview mirror that outputs a rear image to a display through a camera.

[0002] Unless otherwise indicated in this specification, the contents described in this identification item are not prior art for the claims of this application, and are not recognized as prior art simply because they are described in this identification item.

[0003] Rearview mirrors have long been used as essential devices to ensure rear visibility in vehicles. Traditional rearview mirrors utilize physical mirrors to provide the driver with a view of the rear, but visibility can be limited by the vehicle's internal structure or obstacles in the rear view. To address this, the Digital Rearview Mirror (DCM) was developed, which helps the driver maintain visibility by displaying rear images via a camera on a screen.

[0004] Conventional DCMs are structured to switch between mirror and display functions on a single surface, and to achieve this, they utilize Liquid Crystal (LC) or Electrochromic (EC) films. However, this method has high film costs, may result in low long-term reliability due to film durability issues, and has limitations in integrating with the vehicle's interior design.

[0005] In particular, since conventional DCMs switch between display and mirror functions on the same surface, drivers may require unnecessary operations when selecting between mirror and display modes, and there is the issue of the rearview mirror occupying space even when the display is not in use. Additionally, if the digital rearview mirror's display is always exposed, there are disadvantages such as reduced readability due to direct sunlight or glare, and the possibility of damage.

[0006] The embodiment of the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a digital rearview mirror that can reduce costs and improve the interior aesthetics of a vehicle.

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention provides a digital rearview mirror characterized by comprising: a display storage unit formed in the interior ceiling of a vehicle to solve the above-mentioned problem; a display unit that electronically displays information of the vehicle and moves between a storage position stored in the display storage unit and a rearview mirror position where the driver can look at the screen; a pop-up driving unit that drives the display unit between the storage position and the rearview mirror position; and a display power driving unit that supplies power to the display unit when the display unit is at the rearview mirror position and cuts off the power supplied to the display unit when the display unit is at the storage position.

[0008] Here, it is preferable to further include a hinge portion that hinges the upper corner of the display portion to the display storage portion.

[0009] It is effective to further include a flow prevention part that allows the display part to be maintained at the rearview mirror position.

[0010] The above-described pop-up driving unit preferably includes: a locking unit that fixes or releases the display unit when the display unit is in the storage position; and a restoration unit that restores the display unit to the rearview mirror position when the locking unit releases the display unit.

[0011] It is effective to include the above locking part, a locking head formed protruding from the display part and having a catch projection protruding from the end; and a locking catcher that alternately forms a locked state coupled with the locking head and an unlocked state coupled with the locking head by a pressing operation of the locking head.

[0012] The above restoration unit preferably includes: a gear unit that is fixed to the display storage unit and the display unit of the hinge unit and engages with each other; and a restoration spring installed in the hinge unit to restore the display unit to the rearview mirror position.

[0013] The above-mentioned restoration unit further includes a pressure spring installed between any one of the gear unit, the display unit, and the display storage unit, which applies a force in the opposite direction to the force applied by the restoration spring to the gear unit; and it is effective for the force applied by the pressure spring to the display unit to be less than the force applied by the restoration spring to the display unit.

[0014] The above-mentioned flow prevention member preferably includes an opening stopper that prevents the display member from rotating excessively when the display member rotates from the storage position to the rearview mirror position.

[0015] The above-mentioned flow prevention unit preferably further includes a position-maintaining stopper that prevents the display unit from moving from the rearview mirror position to the storage position when a force smaller than a predetermined restoring force is applied.

[0016] According to the means for solving the problem of the present invention as described above, various effects including the following can be expected. However, the present invention is not required to exhibit all of the following effects to be valid.

[0017] In the present invention, a rear view of the driver can be provided more efficiently by physically separating the display surface and the mirror surface without using conventional LC or EC films.

[0018] In the present invention, the display is designed to be embedded in the ceiling of a vehicle so that it can be popped out and used only when needed. This allows the digital rearview mirror to remain embedded when not in use, enhancing the sense of unity with the vehicle's interior design, and enables the display to be easily unfolded by pressing a button when in use.

[0019] The present invention solves problems such as film cost, ease of use, and durability associated with existing DCMs by improving the switching method of a digital rearview mirror, and enables the provision of a more efficient rear view.

[0020] In addition, it is differentiated from existing technologies in that it harmonizes with the vehicle's interior through a built-in structure while allowing the driver to activate the display only when necessary.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the interior of a vehicle when the digital rearview mirror of the first embodiment of the present invention is in the storage position.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the interior of a vehicle when the digital rearview mirror of FIG. 1 is in the rearview mirror position.

[0023] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the rearview mirror of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the rearview mirror of FIG. 2.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram briefly illustrating the configuration of the restoration part of FIG. 4.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the structure of the locking part of FIG. 4.

[0027] FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate a digital rearview mirror of a second embodiment of the present invention,

[0028] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the digital rearview mirror when it is in the rearview mirror position.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hinge portion of FIG. 7.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the hinge portion in the storage position.

[0031] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of Fig. 8 seen from the left.

[0032] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along the cutting line XI-XI of FIG. 9.

[0033] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the interior of a vehicle when the digital rearview mirror of the first embodiment of the present invention is in the storage position, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the interior of a vehicle when the digital rearview mirror of FIG. 1 is in the rearview mirror position, FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the rearview mirror of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the rearview mirror of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of the restoration part of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a front view showing the structure of the locking part of FIG. 4.

[0035] As illustrated in these drawings, the digital rearview mirror of the first embodiment of the present invention comprises: a display storage unit (200) formed on the interior ceiling of a vehicle (10); a display unit (100) that electronically displays information of the vehicle (10) and moves between a storage position (Fig. 1, Fig. 3) in which the display unit (200) is stored and the rearview mirror position (Fig. 1, Fig. 3) in which the driver can look at the screen; a pop-up driving unit (400) that drives the display unit (100) between the storage position and the rearview mirror position; a display power driving unit (600) that supplies power to the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the rearview mirror position and cuts off the power supplied to the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the storage position; and a mechanism for hinge-fixing the upper corner of the display unit (100) to the display storage unit (200). It includes a hinge part (300).

[0036] The digital rearview mirror of the present invention includes a display storage unit (200) formed in the interior ceiling of a vehicle (10). The display storage unit (200) is formed by being recessed into the ceiling of the vehicle (10) and is a space formed to accommodate a display unit (100).

[0037] The above display unit (100) is a display device that electronically displays information of a vehicle (10), and is installed to be movable between a storage position in which it is stored in a display storage unit (200) and a rearview mirror position where the driver can look at the screen. This display unit (100) can provide various vehicle information to the driver, such as rear view of the vehicle or driving information. Based on FIG. 3, the back of the display unit (100) is exposed at the storage position, and an operation press part (110) is marked on one end of the back. Based on FIG. 4, the display is exposed so as to face the rear of the vehicle at the exposure position.

[0038] The display unit (100) further includes a hinge unit (300) that allows the upper corner of the display unit (100) to be hinge-fixed to the display storage unit (200). The hinge unit (300) rotatably connects the upper corner of the display unit (100) to the display storage unit (200) so that the display unit (100) can rotate smoothly between the storage position and the rearview mirror position. The hinge unit (300) is implemented to rotate relative to the upper corner of the display unit (100) and can be implemented as a hinge or an axis.

[0039] A pop-up driving unit (400) is installed to drive the display unit (100) between the storage position (Fig. 3) and the rearview mirror position (Fig. 4). The pop-up driving unit (400) includes a locking unit (410) that fixes or unlocks the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the storage position, and a restoration unit (420) that restores the display unit (100) to the rearview mirror position when the locking unit (410) unlocks the display unit (100).

[0040] The above locking part (410) is formed protruding from the display part (100) and includes a locking head (411) having a catch (412) protruding from its end, and a locking catcher (415) that alternately forms a locked state in which it is coupled to the locking head (411) and an unlocked state in which it is uncoupled from the locking head (411) by a pressing operation of the locking head (411). Through this, the display part (100) can be stably fixed or released from the storage position. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking head (411) is formed in the shape of a projection installed on the display part (100), and a catch (412) is formed protruding in the thickness direction from its end. The locking catcher (415) includes a locking catcher body (416) and a locker (417) that alternately gets stored in the locking catcher body (416) or exposed to the outside by a pressing action. In the storage position, the locker (417) has both ends closed to wrap around the locking head (411)—more precisely, the locking projection (412)—on both sides to prevent the locking head (411) from being separated, and in the position exposed to the outside, the locker (417) has both ends spread open so that the locked state with the locking head (411) is released.

[0041] The above restoration unit (420) includes a gear unit (422) that is fixed to the display storage unit (200) and the display unit (100) of the hinge unit (300) and engages with each other, and a restoration spring (421) installed in the hinge unit (300) to restore the display unit (100) to the rearview mirror position.

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the gear unit (422) includes a first gear unit (422a) installed in the display unit (100) and a second gear unit (422b) installed in the display storage unit (200). Either the first gear unit (422a) or the second gear unit (422b) is fixed, and the other is coupled so as to be rotatable. That is, the first gear unit (422a) is fixed to the display unit (100) and rotates together with the display unit (100), and the second gear unit (422b) is coupled to the display storage unit (200) so as to be rotatable.

[0043] The return spring (421) can be implemented as a torsion spring, with one end supported by the display unit (100) and the other end supported by the display storage unit (200), so that the display unit (100) returns to the rearview mirror position. The return spring (421) is installed on the side opposite to the gear unit (422) at the hinge unit (300), which helps the display unit (100) rotate around the hinge unit (300).

[0044] Additionally, the restoration unit (420) may further include a pressure spring (423) installed between the gear unit (422), the display unit (100), and the display storage unit (200), which applies a force in the opposite direction to the force applied by the restoration spring (421) to the gear unit (422). At this time, the force applied by the pressure spring (423) to the display unit (100) is set to be less than the force applied by the restoration spring (421) to the display unit (100) so that the restoration operation of the display unit (100) can be performed smoothly. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the pressure spring (423) may be implemented as a torsion spring installed inside the second gear unit (422b), with one end supported by the second gear unit (422b) and the other end supported by the storage unit (200). In this way, the pressure spring (423) applies force in the opposite direction to the load direction applied by the return spring (421), thereby ensuring that the first gear part (422a) and the second gear part (422b) always come into contact with each other, thereby providing a smoother operating sensation.

[0045] The device includes a display power driving unit (600) that supplies power to the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the rearview mirror position and cuts off the power supplied to the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the storage position. This prevents power consumption when the display unit (100) is not in use in the storage position. Additionally, the power of the display can be driven simply by opening the display unit (100) without the user needing to operate a separate power switch.

[0046] The display power driving unit (600) can be implemented with a physical switch, etc.

[0047] Hereinafter, the operation of the digital rearview mirror of the first embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, when not in use, the display unit (100) is positioned in the storage position. In the storage position, the locking head (411) is kept locked by the locking catcher (415).

[0049] At this time, when the driver presses the operating press part (110) located on the display part (100), the locking head (411) and the locking catcher (415) are released from the locked state, and the display part (100) is rotated to the rearview mirror position (Fig. 4) by the restoring force of the restoring part (420).

[0050] At this time, the display power driving unit (600) supplies power so that the display unit (100) operates.

[0051] As described above, the digital rearview mirror of the first embodiment of the present invention is exposed to the digital storage unit only when the digital rearview mirror is in use, thereby allowing for efficient use of the vehicle's interior space and enhancing a sense of unity with the vehicle's interior design.

[0052] In addition, when in use, the display unit moves to the rearview mirror position and operates simultaneously with the action of pressing the control button, allowing for easy operation.

[0053] FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate a digital rearview mirror of a second embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the digital rearview mirror in the rearview mirror position, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hinge portion of FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the hinge portion in the storage position, FIG. 10 is a perspective view viewed from the left side of FIG. 8, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along the cutting line XI-XI of FIG. 9.

[0054] The hinge portion (1300) of the second embodiment is formed in the shape of a hinge and includes a first hinge plate (1310) fixed to the display storage portion (200), a second hinge plate (1320) fixed to the display portion (100), and a hinge tube (1330) to which the first hinge plate (1310) and the second hinge plate (1320) are combined. Inside the hinge tube (1330), a return spring (not shown) is installed to apply force in a direction that moves the first hinge plate (1310) and the second hinge plate (1320) away from each other, thereby forming a return portion.

[0055] The configuration of the locking part (410) is the same as that of the first embodiment, so a detailed description is omitted.

[0056] The feature of the second embodiment is that it includes a flow prevention part (500) that allows the display part (100) to be maintained at the rearview mirror position.

[0057] The above-mentioned flow prevention unit (500) includes an opening stopper (510) that prevents the display unit (100) from rotating excessively when the display unit (100) rotates from the storage position to the rearview mirror position, and a position-maintaining stopper (520) that prevents the display unit (100) from moving from the rearview mirror position to the storage position when a force smaller than a predetermined restoring force is applied to the display unit (100).

[0058] The opening stopper (510) includes a guide slot (511) formed in the circumferential direction of the outer surface of the hinge tube (1330), a stopper projection (512) protruding from the second hinge plate (1320) to be inserted into and moved in the guide slot (511), and a slot stopper (513) formed at the end of the guide slot (511) to engage with the stopper projection (512) at the rearview mirror position.

[0059] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the position-maintaining stopper (520) is installed inside the hinge tube (1330) and includes a ball stopper (521) that can move to a protruding position that partially protrudes outward, and a stopper spring (522) that supports the other end of the ball stopper (521) and presses the ball stopper (521) to be positioned in the protruding position. The position of the position-maintaining stopper (520) is a position that prevents the second hinge plate (1320) from moving to the storage position when it is in the rearview mirror position, and the amount of protrusion from the protruding position of the ball stopper (521) is such that the inner surface of the second hinge plate (1320) can catch on the ball stopper (521). In addition, when a force greater than a certain amount is applied to the second hinge plate (1320), the ball stopper (521) moves inward so that the second hinge plate (1320) can rotate.

[0060] As described above, the digital rearview mirror of the second embodiment is equipped with a movement prevention part (500) so that the movement and position maintenance of the digital rearview mirror can be stably maintained even when vibration occurs due to the driving of the vehicle.

[0061] As described above, the present invention can provide a more efficient rear view of the driver by physically separating the display surface and the mirror surface without using conventional LC or EC films.

[0062] In the present invention, the display is designed to be embedded in the ceiling of a vehicle so that it can be popped out and used only when needed. This allows the digital rearview mirror to remain embedded when not in use, enhancing the sense of unity with the vehicle's interior design, and allows the display to be easily unfolded by pressing a button when in use.

[0063] The present invention solves problems such as film cost, ease of use, and durability associated with existing DCMs by improving the switching method of a digital rearview mirror, and enables the provision of a more efficient rear view.

[0064] In addition, it is differentiated from existing technologies in that it harmonizes with the vehicle's interior through a built-in structure while allowing the driver to activate the display only when necessary.

[0065] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described illustratively above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments and can be appropriately modified within the scope described in the claims.

Claims

1. A display storage unit (200) formed in the interior ceiling of a vehicle (10); A display unit (100) that electronically displays information of the above vehicle (10) and moves between a storage position stored in the display storage unit (200) and a rearview mirror position where the driver can look at the screen; A pop-up driving unit (400) that drives the display unit (100) between the storage position and the rearview mirror position; and A display power driving unit (600) that supplies power to the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the rearview mirror position, and cuts off the power supplied to the display unit (100) when the display unit (100) is in the storage position; A digital rearview mirror characterized by including 2. In Paragraph 1, A hinge part (300) that hinges the upper corner of the display part (100) to the display storage part (200); A digital rearview mirror characterized by further including 3. In Paragraph 2, The above pop-up drive unit (400) is, A locking part (410) for fixing or releasing the display part (100) when the display part (100) is in the storage position; and When the locking part (410) releases the display part (100), a restoration part (420) restores the display part (100) to the rearview mirror position; A digital rearview mirror characterized by including 4. In Paragraph 3, The above locking part (410) is, A locking head (411) formed protruding from the display unit (100) and having a locking projection (412) protruding from its end; and A locking catcher (415) that alternately forms a locked state coupled with the locking head (411) and an unlocked state coupled with the locking head (411) by a pressing operation of the locking head (411); A digital rearview mirror characterized by including 5. In Paragraph 3, The above restoration unit (420) is, A gear portion (422) that is respectively fixed to the display storage portion (200) and the display portion (100) of the hinge portion (300) and engages with each other; and A return spring (421) installed on the hinge portion (300) to restore the display portion (100) to the rearview mirror position; A digital rearview mirror characterized by including 6. In Paragraph 5, The above restoration unit (420) is, A pressure spring (423) installed between the gear unit (422), the display unit (100), and the display storage unit (200), and applying a force in the opposite direction to the force applied by the return spring (421) to the gear unit (422); Includes more, A digital rearview mirror characterized in that the force applied by the above-mentioned pressure spring (423) to the above-mentioned display unit (100) is less than the force applied by the above-mentioned return spring (421) to the above-mentioned display unit (100).

7. In Paragraph 2, A flow prevention unit (500) that allows the display unit (100) to be maintained at the rearview mirror position; A digital rearview mirror characterized by further including 8. In Paragraph 7, The above flow prevention part (500) is, An opening stopper (510) that prevents the display unit (100) from rotating excessively when the display unit (100) rotates from the storage position to the rearview mirror position; A digital rearview mirror characterized by including 9. In Paragraph 8, The above flow prevention part (500) is, A position-maintaining stopper (520) that prevents the display unit (100) from moving from the rearview mirror position to the storage position when a force smaller than the predetermined restoring force is applied; A digital rearview mirror characterized by including additional features.

Images