On-vehicle multidirectional visual-recognition device

• US 8,562,155 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• 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: Uematsu, Hiroshi, Kishimoto, Yuya, Mugikura, Norio, Hosobe, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tallman, Robert E
• Application Number:
  US12/822,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20110013301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 359838-839, 359/849, 359/860, 359/864, 359/892, 359/890
• 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 having a first attenuation factor, said 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 having a second attenuation factor substantially equal to the first attenuation factor of the first visual-recognition mechanism,

wherein the first attenuation factor is a value obtained by adding a reduction rate based on a transmittance of the door window to a reduction rate based on a reflectance of the door mirror,

wherein the second attenuation factor is a value obtained by adding a reduction rate based on a transmittance of the sub window and a reduction rate based on a reflectance of the second mirror to a reduction rate based on a reflectance of the first mirror, and

wherein the transmittance of the sub window of the second visual-recognition mechanism is greater than the transmittance of the door window of the first visual-recognition mechanism.

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

a first visual-recognition mechanism having a first attenuation factor, said 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 having a second attenuation factor substantially equal to the first attenuation factor of the first visual-recognition mechanism,

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,

wherein the first attenuation factor is a value obtained by adding a reduction rate based on a transmittance of the door window to a reduction rate based on a reflectance of the door mirror, and

wherein the second attenuation factor is a value obtained by adding a reduction rate based on a transmittance of the sub window and a reduction rate based on a reflectance of the second mirror to a reduction rate based on a reflectance of the first mirror.