ON-VEHICLE MULTIDIRECTIONAL VISUAL-RECOGNITION DEVICE

• US 20110013301A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Yuya, Hosobe, Tomoaki, Mugikura, Norio, Uematsu, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,562,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/850
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle

Abstract

An on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device includes a first visual-recognition mechanism including a front door window and a door mirror of a door mirror mechanism. A second visual-recognition mechanism includes a first mirror provided in a door-mirror housing of the door mirror mechanism so as to show a range from a side of a vehicle including an area below the door mirror mechanism to a front side of the vehicle. A sub window transmits light reflected by the first mirror and extends continuously from the front door window toward the front side of the vehicle via a frame. A second mirror reflects the light transmitted through the sub window toward a vehicle occupant. Brightness of the light to be received by the vehicle occupant is set substantially equal to brightness of the light at the first visual-recognition mechanism.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device comprising:

a first visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a door window for a front door of a vehicle; and

a door mirror of a door mirror mechanism provided on a vehicle-body side portion, which includes the front door, in a vicinity of an outer side of the door window so as to show a rear side of the vehicle; and

a second visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a first mirror provided in a door-mirror housing of the door mirror mechanism so as to show a range from a side of the vehicle including an area below the door mirror mechanism to a front side of the vehicle;

a sub window to transmit light reflected by the first mirror and to extend continuously from the door window toward the front side of the vehicle via a frame; and

a second mirror to reflect the light transmitted through the sub window toward a vehicle occupant, the second visual-recognition mechanism being configured such that brightness of the light to be received by the vehicle occupant is set substantially equal to brightness of the light at the first visual-recognition mechanism.

6. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mirror and the second mirror has a reflectance that is higher than a reflectance of the door mirror.

2. An on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device comprising:

a first visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a door window for a front door of a vehicle; and

a door mirror of a door mirror mechanism provided on a vehicle-body side portion, which includes the front door, in a vicinity of an outer side of the door window so as to show a rear side of the vehicle; and

a second visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a first mirror provided in a door-mirror housing of the door mirror mechanism so as to show a range from a side of the vehicle including an area below the door mirror mechanism to a front side of the vehicle;

a sub window disposed toward the front side of the vehicle via a frame attached to the front door to transmit light reflected by the first mirror, the sub window having a transmittance that is higher than a transmittance of the door window; and

a second mirror to reflect the light transmitted through the sub window toward a vehicle occupant.

4. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 2, wherein the second visual-recognition mechanism is configured such that brightness of the light to be received by the vehicle occupant is set substantially equal to brightness of the light at the first visual-recognition mechanism.

5. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 2, wherein the sub window has a transmittance that is higher than a transmittance of the door window.

11. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first mirror and the second mirror has a reflectance that is higher than a reflectance of the door mirror.

3. An on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device comprising:

a first visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a door window for a front door of a vehicle; and

a door mirror of a door mirror mechanism provided on a vehicle-body side portion, which includes the front door, in a vicinity of an outer side of the door window so as to show a rear side of the vehicle; and

a second visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a first mirror provided in a door-mirror housing of the door mirror mechanism so as to show a range from a side of the vehicle including an area below the door mirror mechanism to a front side of the vehicle;

a sub window disposed toward the front side of the vehicle via a frame attached to the front door to transmit light reflected by the first mirror; and

a second mirror to reflect the light transmitted through the sub window toward a vehicle occupant, at least one of the first mirror and the second mirror having a reflectance that is higher than a reflectance of the door mirror.

9. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 3, wherein the second visual-recognition mechanism is configured such that brightness of the light to be received by the vehicle occupant is set substantially equal to brightness of the light at the first visual-recognition mechanism.

10. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 3, wherein the sub window has a transmittance that is higher than a transmittance of the door window.

7. An on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device comprising:

a first visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a door window for a front door of a vehicle; and

a door mirror of a door mirror mechanism provided on a vehicle-body side portion, which includes the front door, in a vicinity of an outer side of the door window so as to show a rear side of the vehicle; and

a second visual-recognition mechanism comprising;

a first mirror provided in a door-mirror housing of the door mirror mechanism so as to show a range from a side of the vehicle including an area below the door mirror mechanism to a front side of the vehicle;

a sub window disposed toward the front side of the vehicle via a frame attached to the front door to transmit light reflected by the first mirror; and

a second mirror to reflect the light transmitted through the sub window toward a vehicle occupant, at least one of the first mirror, the second mirror, and the sub window comprising a color film to transmit light of a specific wavelength and absorb light of a remaining wavelength so as to make the light of the specific wavelength distinctive.

8. The on-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device according to claim 7, wherein the color film has such a spectral characteristic that the light to be transmitted through the color film has a wavelength around a range between 500 nm and 560 nm.