JP2018144621A - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust an amount of external light incident from a roof window, and inhibit an interior height of a vehicle of a coupe type, a sedan type and the like from becoming lower.SOLUTION: In a vehicle 30, an interior height h1 satisfies an inequality, h1≤1250 mm, and a ratio between the interior height h1 and an overall height h2 satisfies an inequality, h1/h2≥0.76. A roof part is provided with an opening 32. A lighting control film 10 arranged in the opening 32 of the roof part, and a drive control part 42 for changing transmittance of the lighting control film 10 are provided. Only the lighting control film 10 changes an amount of external light passing through the opening 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle having a light control member.

Conventionally, various devices have been proposed for a vehicle by providing a roof window and sufficiently taking in external light (Patent Documents 1, 2, etc.).
The configurations disclosed in these documents allow incident light from the roof window to be obtained by arranging a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped light shielding member by electric or manual operation so that outside light is sufficiently taken in by the roof window. Shield from light.

Here, among vehicles such as passenger cars, vehicle types such as a coupe type and a sedan type are designed to make the center of gravity of the entire vehicle as low as possible from the viewpoint of emphasizing the running stability of the vehicle. The interior height is lower than the vehicle type. For this reason, when the above-described light shielding member is provided on the roof window of a vehicle type such as a coupe type, a space for arranging the light shielding member on the inside of the vehicle is required. There was a problem that the space became narrow.
Moreover, when providing the above-mentioned light shielding member in a roof window, the area | region which stores a light shielding member is needed. For this reason, the storage part of the light shielding member is arranged at the center or rear part of the roof part of the vehicle, the roof window cannot be arranged on the entire roof, and sufficient outside light can be taken into the vehicle. There was a problem that disappeared.

JP 2003-2062 A JP 2007-131208 A

  An object of the present invention is to adjust the amount of external light incident from a roof window and to suppress a decrease in the indoor height of a vehicle such as a coupe type or a sedan type.

  Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

(1) A vehicle in which an indoor height h1 is h1 ≦ 1250 mm, a ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 satisfies h1 / h2 ≧ 0.76, and an opening is provided in a roof portion,
A light control member disposed in the opening of the roof portion;
A drive control unit that changes the transmittance of the light control member,
Only the light control member changes the amount of external light passing through the opening,
A vehicle characterized by

(2) In (1),
The light control member is
A liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first laminate having at least a substrate and a second laminate having at least a substrate;
A transparent electrode provided on at least one of the first laminate and the second laminate,
The drive control unit changes the transmittance of the light control member by controlling a voltage applied to the transparent electrode;
A vehicle characterized by

(3) In (2),
The light control member includes a bead spacer sandwiched between the first laminate and the second laminate and defining a thickness of the liquid crystal layer;
A vehicle characterized by

(4) In any of (1) to (3),
A passenger position information acquisition unit that acquires passenger position information that is information on the position of the passenger in the vehicle;
The drive control unit
Based on the occupant position information, locally changing the transmittance of the dimming member of the portion corresponding to the location on which the occupant is boarding,
A vehicle characterized by

(5) In any of (1) to (4),
The light control member is divided into a plurality of segments,
The drive control unit individually controlling the transmittance of the plurality of segments;
A vehicle characterized by

(6) In any of (1) to (5),
The drive control unit is configured to control the dimming member by dividing it into a plurality of modes having different modes of change in transmittance;
A vehicle characterized by

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while adjusting the quantity of the external light which injects from a roof window, it can suppress that the indoor height of vehicles, such as a coupe type and a sedan type, will become low.

It is sectional drawing explaining the structure of the roof glass used for the vehicle of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the vehicle of a 1st embodiment. It is sectional drawing in the cross section parallel to the advancing direction and vertical direction of the vehicle of 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which summarized the information of the ratio of the total height of the passenger car sold in a general market, indoor height, total height, and indoor height. It is a figure explaining the vehicle of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the form of the transparent electrode of a light control film. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence in the vehicle of 2nd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
[Roof window]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a roof window used in the vehicle according to the first embodiment.
The roof window 31 is a transparent plate material arranged in an opening provided in the roof of the vehicle, and is made of laminated glass.
As shown in FIG. 1, the roof window 31 is configured by sandwiching the light control film 10 between the glass sheets 2 and 3 through the intermediate layers 4 and 5, respectively.
Various materials applicable to this type of laminated glass can be widely applied to the plate glasses 2 and 3, and examples thereof include transparent inorganic glass and organic glass.
As the inorganic glass, soda lime glass, aluminosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, alkali-free glass, quartz glass, and the like are used without particular limitation. Of these, soda lime glass is particularly preferred. The method of forming the inorganic glass is not particularly limited, but for example, a float plate glass formed by a float method or the like is preferable.
Examples of the organic glass include polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, aromatic polyester resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, polyarylate resin, vinyl chloride resin, and acrylic urethane resin. Among these, polycarbonate resin is more preferable. In addition, you may make it the plate glass 2 and 3 contain 2 or more types of above resins.

The intermediate layers 4 and 5 are configured to function as an adhesive layer between the light control film 10 and the plate glasses 2 and 3, and various configurations applied to this type of laminated glass can be widely applied. The intermediate layers 4 and 5 are transparent adhesive layers for joining the respective plate glasses and the light control film 10, and resins such as polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) are used as organic materials. Things are used. In addition, you may add an ultraviolet absorber, antioxidant, an antistatic agent, a light stabilizer, an adhesion | attachment adjusting agent, etc. to the intermediate | middle layers 4 and 5 suitably. In particular, it is more preferable to add an ultraviolet absorber to the resin for the interlayer film because it can block ultraviolet rays.
Note that the roof window 31 may be provided with a defroster function by arranging a linear heating element in the intermediate layer 4 or 5.

The roof window 31 is provided with the intermediate layers 4 and 5 on the glass plates 2 and 3, laminated with the light control film 10, and then heated and pressurized, whereby the glass plates 2 and 3 and the glass plates 2 and 3 are adjusted via the intermediate layers 4 and 5. The optical film 10 is integrated.
Note that the roof window 31 may be formed into a curved shape during the integration.
Moreover, although the light control film 10 showed the structure clamped by the glass plates 2 and 3 via the intermediate | middle layers 4 and 5 in the above-mentioned description, it is not limited to this, For example, an intermediate | middle layer is 2 A laminated glass sandwiched between a plurality of plate glasses may be used as a roof window, and the light control film 10 may be attached to the roof window.

[Light control film]
The light control film 10 is a film-like member that controls light transmission using liquid crystal, and is configured by sandwiching a liquid crystal cell 15 between linearly polarizing plates 16 and 17.

[Linear polarizing plate]
The linear polarizing plates 16 and 17 are not particularly limited as long as they include a polarizer, and may have a polarizing plate protective film on one side or both sides of the polarizer.
For example, a polarizer is formed by immersing a film made of a hydrophilic polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in an aqueous solution containing iodine, which is a dichroic dye, to form a complex of polyvinyl alcohol and iodine. And a polarizer made of a polyene oriented by treating a plastic film such as polyvinyl chloride.
In addition, when a dichroic dye is used as a dichroic dye instead of iodine, azo dyes, stilbene dyes, methine dyes, cyanine dyes, pyrazolone dyes, triphenylmethane dyes are used as dichroic dyes. Quinoline dyes, oxazine dyes, thiazine dyes, anthraquinone dyes and the like are used.

The above polarizing plate protective film is not particularly limited as long as it can protect the above-mentioned polarizer and has desired transparency. Examples of the material for the polarizing plate protective film include acetyl cellulose resin, cycloolefin resin, polyether sulfone resin, amorphous polyolefin, modified acrylic polymer, polystyrene, epoxy resin, acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, and polyamide. Resin, polyimide resin, polyester resin, etc., thermosetting resin such as acrylic resin, urethane resin, acrylic urethane resin, epoxy resin, and silicone resin, or ultraviolet curable resin can be used. Among these, it is preferable to use an acetyl cellulose resin, a cycloolefin resin, or an acrylic resin as the above-described resin material. Among these, triacetyl cellulose (TAC) which is an acetyl cellulose resin is particularly preferable.
The linear polarizing plates 16 and 17 are arranged in the liquid crystal cell 15 by an adhesive layer made of an acrylic transparent adhesive resin or the like in a crossed Nicol arrangement. The linear polarizing plates 16 and 17 are respectively provided with retardation films 18 and 19 for optical compensation on the liquid crystal cell 15 side. However, the retardation films 18 and 19 may be omitted if necessary. . Further, instead of the crossed Nicol arrangement, a parallel Nicol arrangement may be used.

The linear polarizing plates 16 and 17 may be E-type linear polarizing plates formed of a coating film composed of a dichroic organic dye that exhibits optical anisotropy in the vertical direction. Thereby, the total thickness of the light control film 10 can be made thinner.
In this case, each linearly polarizing plate has a liquid crystal layer on the liquid crystal layer 14 side of the base material 21 </ b> A of the upper laminate 12 and the liquid crystal layer 14 side of the base material 21 </ b> B of the lower laminate 13. It is desirable to arrange so that 8 is pinched. As will be described later, the base materials 21A and 21B are desired to have small optical anisotropy, but by arranging the E-type linear polarizing plate as described above, the transmitted light is variously polarized in the base material. However, since it is possible to prevent any influence on the transmitted light of the liquid crystal layer, it is possible to use a highly versatile transparent resin film, such as a PET film, for the base materials 21A and 21B. .

[Liquid crystal cell]
The liquid crystal cell 15 is configured by sandwiching a liquid crystal layer 14 between a film-like lower laminate 13 and an upper laminate 12.

[Lower laminate, upper laminate]
The lower laminate 13 is formed by laminating a transparent electrode 22B, an alignment layer 23B, and a spacer 24 on a base material 21B.
The upper laminate 12 is formed by laminating a transparent electrode 22A, an alignment layer 23A, and a spacer 24 on a base material 21A.

〔Base material〕
Various transparent resin films can be applied to the base materials 21A and 21B, but the optical anisotropy is small, and the transmittance at a visible wavelength (380 to 800 nm) is 80% or more. It is desirable to apply.
Examples of the material for the transparent resin film include acetyl cellulose resins such as triacetyl cellulose (TAC), polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). Polyolefin resins such as polystyrene, polymethylpentene, EVA, vinyl resins such as polyvinyl chloride and polyvinylidene chloride, acrylic resins, polyurethane resins, polysulfone (PEF), polyethersulfone (PES), polycarbonate ( PC), polysulfone, polyether (PE), polyether ketone (PEK), (meth) acrylonitrile, cycloolefin polymer (COP), cycloolefin copolymer and the like can be mentioned.
In particular, resins such as polycarbonate (PC), cycloolefin polymer (COP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are preferable.
In the present embodiment, a polycarbonate film having a thickness of 100 μm is applied to the base materials 21A and 21B, but transparent resin films having various thicknesses can be applied.

[Transparent electrode]
Transparent electrode 22A, 22B is comprised from the transparent conductive film laminated | stacked on the said transparent resin film and a transparent resin film.
As the transparent conductive film, various transparent electrode materials applied to this type of transparent resin film can be applied, and examples thereof include a transparent metal thin film having an oxide-based total light transmittance of 50% or more. . For example, a tin oxide system, an indium oxide system, and a zinc oxide system are mentioned.

Examples of the tin oxide (SnO ₂ ) system include Nesa (tin oxide SnO ₂ ), ATO (Antimony Tin Oxide), and fluorine-doped tin oxide.
Examples of indium oxide (In ₂ O ₃ ) include indium oxide, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), and IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide).
Examples of the zinc oxide (ZnO) system include zinc oxide, AZO (aluminum doped zinc oxide), and gallium doped zinc oxide.
In the present embodiment, the transparent conductive film is formed of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide).
The specific configuration of the transparent electrodes 22A and 22B of this embodiment will be described in detail later.

〔Spacer〕
The spacer 24 is provided in order to define the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 14, and various resin materials can be widely applied. Here, there are mainly two types of spacers 24, spherical spacers (hereinafter referred to as “bead spacers”) and columnar spacers (hereinafter referred to as “photo spacers”).
Here, it is conceivable that the light control film 10 forms a photo spacer using a photolithographic method in which a photopolymer is applied, exposed and developed after an alignment layer is formed on a substrate. In such a case, the alignment layer is damaged by the exposure or development process, which may cause alignment failure. In addition, it is conceivable to apply an alignment layer after first producing the photo spacer on the substrate, but in this case, the alignment layer around the photo spacer cannot be given sufficient alignment regulating force, This is not preferable because it causes alignment failure. Therefore, the light control film manufactured with the photospacer may not be accurately controlled to a desired transmittance due to poor alignment.
On the other hand, the bead spacer is dispersed on the alignment layer after forming the alignment layer, and the contact area with the alignment layer is narrow. It is possible to reduce the occurrence of problems such as
Therefore, by applying a bead spacer as the spacer 24, the transmittance of the produced light control film 10 can be changed more finely and finely than when a photo spacer is used.
Here, since the light control film 10 of this embodiment is arrange | positioned at the vehicle 30, it is necessary to control to a transmittance | permeability with sufficient precision as needed. Therefore, in this embodiment, a bead spacer is applied to the spacer 24.

Here, as the bead spacer used for the spacer 24, a known bead used for a liquid crystal display device, a color filter or the like can be applied. Specifically, glass, silica, metal oxide (MgO, Al ₂ O ₃ ), etc. for inorganic components, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, phenol resins, melamine resins, unsaturated polyester resins, for organic components, Use core particles obtained by suspension polymerization, emulsion polymerization, and emulsion polymerization of materials such as divinylbenzene copolymer, divinylbenzene-acrylic ester copolymer, diacrylphthalate copolymer, and allyl isocyanurate copolymer. A spherical body, a cylindrical body, a granular body such as a cylindrical body obtained by a polymerization method such as a seed polymerization method, a porous body, a hollow body, or the like can be used.
Further, from the viewpoint of improving the dispersibility and adhesion of beads on the alignment layer, the surface of the bead spacer may be subjected to a surface treatment. The surface coating material is not particularly limited as long as immobilization on the bead surface and the outflow of chemical substances into the liquid crystal material are not a problem. For example, polyethylene, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer Polymers, ethylene / acrylic acid ester copolymers, polymethyl (meth) acrylate polymers, SBS type styrene / butadiene block copolymers, epoxy resins, phenol resins, melamine resins, and the like can be used.
In the above description, the example in which the spacer 24 is provided in both the upper laminate 12 and the lower laminate 13 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the upper laminate 12 and the lower laminate are not limited thereto. 13 may be provided at any one of the numbers.

(Orientation layer)
The alignment layers 23A and 23B are formed of a photo-alignment layer. As the photo-alignment material applicable to the photo-alignment layer, various materials to which the photo-alignment technique can be applied can be widely applied, for example, photodecomposition type, photodimerization type, photoisomerization type, and the like. it can.
In this embodiment, a light dimerization type material is used. Examples of the photodimerization type material include cinnamate, coumarin, benzylidenephthalimidine, benzylideneacetophenone, diphenylacetylene, stilbazole, uracil, quinolinone, maleimide, or a polymer having a cinnamilidene acetic acid derivative. Among them, a polymer having one or both of cinnamate and coumarin is preferably used in that the orientation regulating force is good. Specific examples of such a photodimerization type material include compounds described in, for example, JP-A-9-118717, JP-T-10-506420, JP-T2003-505561, and WO2010 / 150748. Can be mentioned.
In addition, it may replace with a photo-alignment layer, an alignment layer may be produced by a rubbing process, and an alignment layer may be produced by shaping a fine line-shaped uneven | corrugated shape.

[Liquid crystal layer]
Various liquid crystal materials applicable to this kind of light control film 10 can be widely applied to the liquid crystal layer 14. Specifically, a nematic liquid crystal compound, a smectic liquid crystal compound, and a cholesteric liquid crystal compound can be applied to the liquid crystal layer 14 as a liquid crystal compound having no polymerizable functional group.
Examples of nematic liquid crystal compounds include biphenyl compounds, terphenyl compounds, phenylcyclohexyl compounds, biphenylcyclohexyl compounds, phenylbicyclohexyl compounds, trifluoro compounds, phenyl benzoate compounds, and cyclohexyl phenylbenzoate compounds. , Phenyl benzoic acid phenyl compounds, bicyclohexyl carboxylic acid phenyl compounds, azomethine compounds, azo compounds, azooxy compounds, stilbene compounds, tolan compounds, ester compounds, bicyclohexyl compounds, phenyl pyrimidine compounds , Biphenylpyrimidine compounds, pyrimidine compounds, and biphenylethyne compounds.

Examples of smectic liquid crystal compounds include ferroelectric polymer liquid crystal compounds such as polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polychloroacrylate, polyoxirane, polysiloxane, and polyester.
Examples of the cholesteric liquid crystal compound include cholesteryl linoleate, cholesteryl oleate, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, and polypeptides.

In the liquid crystal cell 15, a sealing material 25 is disposed so as to surround the liquid crystal layer 14. The upper laminate 12 and the lower laminate 13 are integrally held by the sealing material 25, and leakage of the liquid crystal material is prevented.
As the sealing material 25, for example, a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin or an acrylic resin, an ultraviolet curable resin, or the like can be applied.

  In the light control film 10, an alternating voltage whose polarity is switched at a predetermined cycle is applied to the transparent electrodes 22 </ b> A and 22 </ b> B, and an electric field is formed in the liquid crystal layer 14 by the alternating voltage. In addition, the orientation of liquid crystal molecules provided in the liquid crystal layer 14 is controlled by this electric field, and transmitted light is controlled.

For alignment control of the liquid crystal layer 14 in the light control film 10 of the embodiment, a VA method (Virtual Alignment, vertical alignment type) is applied. In the VA method, an alignment film having an alignment regulating force is provided in the vertical direction on a transparent electrode formed on a substrate, and the liquid crystal layer 14 is sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates.
In the VA mode, when no electric field is applied, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 14 are vertically aligned, whereby the light control film 10 blocks incident light and blocks light, and the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 14 is applied by applying this electric field. Are horizontally oriented, and the light control film 10 transmits incident light and enters a transmissive state.
As in the VA method, a light control mode in which a light is blocked when no electric field is applied and a light is transmitted when an electric field is applied is referred to as a normally black mode.

However, instead of the VA method, various drive methods such as a TN (Twisted Nematic) method, an IPS (In Plane Switching) method, and a GH (Guest Host) method may be applied.
Here, the TN system has a configuration in which an alignment film subjected to a rubbing process or the like with a different orientation direction of 90 ° is attached on a transparent electrode formed on a substrate, and the liquid crystal layer 14 is sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates. Due to the alignment regulating force of the alignment film, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned along the alignment direction of the alignment film, and other liquid crystal molecules are aligned along the liquid crystal molecules, so that the direction of the liquid crystal molecules is aligned 90 degrees. A polarizing plate is disposed outside the upper and lower substrates in parallel with the alignment direction of the alignment film.
In the TN mode, when there is no electric field, light passing through the polarizing plate becomes linearly polarized light and enters the liquid crystal. Since the liquid crystal molecules are oriented by twisting by 90 °, the incident light is twisted by 90 ° and passes therethrough, so that it can pass through the lower polarizing plate. Thereby, the light control film 10 permeate | transmits incident light and will be in a permeation | transmission state.
In addition, the liquid crystal molecules are upright and twisted by the application of the electric field, but the alignment regulating force is stronger on the alignment film surface, so the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules remains along the alignment film. In such a state, since the liquid crystal molecules are isotropic with respect to the light passing therethrough, the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal layer 14 does not rotate. Accordingly, the linearly polarized light that has passed through the upper polarizing plate cannot pass through the lower polarizing plate, and the light control film 10 shields incident light and enters a light shielding state.
A light control mode that is in a transmissive state when there is no electric field and is in a light-shielded state when an electric field is applied, as in the TN system, is called a normally white mode.

  The IPS method is a method of controlling the amount of transmitted light by making electrodes on one base material together and rotating liquid crystal molecules aligned by an electric field by this electrode in a horizontal (horizontal) direction with respect to the substrate. is there.

Further, the GH method is a method using a liquid crystal composition in which a dichroic dye is dissolved as a guest in a nematic liquid crystal as a host. The dichroic dye has a uniaxial light absorption axis and absorbs only light that vibrates in the direction of the light absorption axis. Therefore, the orientation of the dichroic dye is changed in accordance with the movement of the liquid crystal due to the electric field, The transmission state of the liquid crystal cell can be changed by controlling the direction of the light absorption axis.
Liquid crystal compositions used in the GH method are roughly classified into positive types and negative types depending on the difference in the major axis direction of liquid crystal molecules when an electric field is applied.
A positive nematic liquid crystal is a liquid crystal whose dielectric constant anisotropy is large in the major axis direction and small in the direction perpendicular to the major axis and has a positive dielectric anisotropy. It is vertical, and the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules is parallel to the optical axis when an electric field is applied.
On the other hand, negative type nematic liquid crystal is a liquid crystal whose dielectric constant anisotropy is small in the major axis direction and large in the direction perpendicular to the major axis and negative in dielectric constant anisotropy. In parallel, the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules is perpendicular to the optical axis when an electric field is applied.
Here, since the dichroic dye molecules are aligned in the same direction as the liquid crystal molecules, when a positive nematic liquid crystal is used as a host, the dichroic dye molecules are in a light shielding state when no electric field is applied, and are in a transmissive state when an electric field is applied (normally). Black mode).
On the other hand, when a negative nematic liquid crystal is used as a host, conversely, it is in a transmissive state when no electric field is applied and is in a light-shielding state when an electric field is applied (normally white mode).
Examples of the dichroic dye used in the GH method include dyes that are soluble in liquid crystals and have high dichroism, and preferably have an order parameter (S value) of 0.7 or more. Dichroic dyes such as phthalocyanine, anthraquinone, quinophthalone, perylene, indigo, thioindigo, merocyanine, styryl, azomethine, and tetrazine.
In addition, when the light control film 10 is manufactured by GH system, a linearly-polarizing plate can be abbreviate | omitted.
The liquid crystal cell 15 may be driven by a so-called multi-domain method by patterning the photo-alignment layer or the like, or may be driven by a single domain.

  In addition, the light control film 10 may be composed of normally black that has the minimum transmittance (light-shielded state) when no voltage is applied to the transparent electrodes 22A and 22B. You may comprise normally white from which a rate becomes the maximum (light transmission state).

  In the above description, the light control film 10 has been illustrated as being made of laminated glass sandwiched between the plate glasses 2 and 3, but is not limited thereto. For example, the light control film 10 is made of plate glass or laminated glass. You may make it stick on the inside of a vehicle.

〔vehicle〕
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the vehicle 30 having the vehicle light control system 33 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle 30 in FIG. 2 is a schematic view viewed from vertically above.
3 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section parallel to the traveling direction and the vertical direction of the vehicle according to the first embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line aa in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment is a coupe type passenger car, and is a two-seat type (2-seater type) sports car with a low vehicle height. Therefore, the vehicle 30 is provided with seats S1 and S2. Note that the seat S <b> 1 is a driver seat, and a passenger of the seat S <b> 1 becomes a driver of the vehicle 30. The seat S2 is a passenger seat.
In the above description, the vehicle 30 is an example of a coupe type vehicle having two seats, but is not limited thereto, and may be a coupe type vehicle having four seats, for example. .

In the vehicle 30, an opening 32 is formed in an upper roof portion (ceiling) of the passengers of the seats S <b> 1 and S <b> 2, and a roof window 31 is disposed so as to close the opening 32. Further, in addition to the light control film 10, the opening portion 32 of the vehicle 30 is not provided with a light shielding member that blocks outside light passing through the opening portion 32. That is, only the light control film 10 changes the amount of external light such as sunlight transmitted through the opening 32 of the vehicle 30, and the roof window 31 is always exposed when viewed from the outside and inside of the vehicle 30. It will be in the state.
The roof window 31 may be arranged so as not to be opened and closed with respect to the opening 32, or may be arranged to be opened and closed with respect to the opening 32 via an opening / closing mechanism.

The vehicle 30 of the present embodiment shows an example of a coupe type passenger car as described above, but is not limited to this, and the interior height of a sedan type or a station wagon type passenger car is relatively low. The vehicle may have a low overall height and excellent running stability.
Here, whether or not the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment is a coupe type or the like depends on whether the vehicle interior height h1 satisfies h1 ≦ 1250 mm, and the ratio between the interior height h1 and the total height h2 is h1 / h2 ≧ 0. .76 is judged. Further, the ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 is more preferably satisfying h1 / h2 ≧ 0.80.

As shown in FIG. 4, the total height h2 refers to the distance in the vertical direction from the ground (the position where the tire of the vehicle 30 is in contact with the ground) to the highest portion of the vehicle body of the vehicle 30 (excluding the antenna).
The indoor height h1 refers to the distance in the vertical direction from the flat floor surface in the vicinity of the center of the vehicle (near the seat) to the lowest position among the interior lining of the ceiling and the inner surface of the roof window. Since the indoor height h1 does not exceed the overall height h2, the ratio between the indoor height h1 and the overall height h2 always satisfies h1 / h2 <1.

FIG. 4 is a table summarizing information on the total height, interior height, overall height and interior height ratio of passenger cars sold in the general market. 4A is a diagram summarizing coupe type information, FIG. 4B is a diagram summarizing sedan type information, and FIG. 4C is a summary of station wagon type information. It is a figure. FIG. 4D is a diagram summarizing SUV (sports utility vehicle) type information, and FIG. 4E is a diagram summarizing minivan type information.
As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c), among passenger cars (vehicles) sold in the general market, many of the coupe type, sedan type, and station wagon type vehicles have an indoor height h1 of h1. ≦ 1250 mm is satisfied, and the ratio of the indoor height h1 to the total height h2 satisfies h1 / h2 ≧ 0.76.
When the indoor height h1 is outside the above range (h1> 1250 mm), the interior space of the vehicle tends to be widened, while the center of gravity of the vehicle tends to be high, and the running stability is lowered, as shown in FIG. Thus, as a vehicle type, the minivan type vehicle mainly focusing on the size of the interior space corresponds, and does not correspond to the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment.
Further, when the ratio (h1 / h2) between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 is outside the above range (h1 / h2 <0.76), the overall height tends to be relatively high with respect to the indoor height. The center of gravity is high and the running stability is low compared to the type of cars such as the coupe type, and as shown in Fig. 4 (d) and Fig. 4 (e), the models are mainly minivan type and SUV type vehicles. However, it does not correspond to the vehicle 30 of this embodiment.

In the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment, the light control film 10 provided on the roof window 31 takes in external light such as sunlight incident on the opening 32 into the vehicle, and if necessary, the light control film 10 The transmittance is reduced and external light such as sunlight entering from the opening 32 is shielded. Therefore, the thickness of the roof window portion can be remarkably reduced as compared with the case where a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped light shielding member is separately arranged on the roof window.
Thereby, in the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment in which the indoor height h1 or the ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 is limited as described above, it is avoided that the indoor height is lowered by using the light shielding member. And the overhead space of the passenger can be secured.
Further, since the light shielding member is provided on the roof window, it is not necessary to design the vehicle by increasing the indoor height, and it is possible to avoid the increase in the center of gravity of the vehicle and the decrease in running stability.

Furthermore, in the vehicle 30 of this embodiment, since the light control film 10 is a form of the laminated glass pinched | interposed with the plate glass 2 and 3 which comprises the roof window 31, a roof window part can be made still thinner. Therefore, in the vehicle such as a coupe type in which the indoor height h1 or the ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 is limited as described above, the degree of freedom in arranging the roof windows can be improved.
In addition, the vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment has a low indoor height and a relatively low overall height with respect to the indoor height. Therefore, the vehicle 30 may be looked into from the roof window 31 during parking. As described above, by providing the light control film 10 on the roof window 31, it is possible to prevent peeping and protect the privacy in the vehicle.

The vehicle 30 includes a roof window 31 provided with the above-described light control film 10 and a vehicle light control system 33 having a drive control unit 42 of the light control film 10.
In the present embodiment, the vehicle light control system 33 having the drive control unit 42 for the light control film 10 is an information processing apparatus (for example, an electronic control unit (ECU 40) provided in the vehicle 30) as a control program for the light control film. Is configured to be executed by
Here, the ECU 40 includes an input circuit unit, an arithmetic processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) that inputs various signals provided from various sensors provided in the vehicle, pressure sensors described later, operation signals output from the operation panel, and the like. )), Various control programs executed by the CPU, control program for the above-mentioned light control film, storage circuit section for storing calculation results, control signals for controlling each section such as the drive source (engine) of the vehicle 30, An output circuit unit that outputs a control signal or the like for controlling the light control film 10 is provided.
Note that the vehicle light control system 33 is not limited to the control program described above, and each part of the vehicle light control system 33 may be configured as a processing circuit.

  The vehicle light control system 33 is a system that adjusts the amount of incident external light incident on the vehicle from the roof window 31. The vehicle light control system 33 controls the light control film 10 provided on the roof window 31 to control the external light incident on the vehicle. The amount of light can be adjusted.

The drive control unit 42 includes a power supply unit that outputs a drive power supply to the light control film 10, and is configured by an arithmetic processing unit that controls the power supply unit. The drive control unit 42 changes the transmittance of the light control film 10 according to an operation of an operation panel (not shown).
Here, as described above, since the light control film 10 of the present embodiment uses a bead spacer as the spacer 24, the light control film 10 according to the passenger's preference more accurately than when a photo spacer is applied. Therefore, the interior space can be made comfortable.
In addition, instead of providing an operation panel in each seat, one operation panel may be provided in an instrument panel on which instruments are arranged so that passengers in the driver seat and the passenger seat can operate together.

The drive control unit 42 may include a plurality of control modes having different modes of change in the transmittance of the light control film 10, and may change the transmittance according to the selected control mode.
For example, a light-blocking mode in which all the segments of the light control film 10 are in a light-blocking state, a light-transmitting mode in which all the segments are in a light-transmitting state, an individual control mode in which each segment is changed to a passenger's desired transmittance, It has an automatic mode that changes the transmittance according to the amount of external light such as sunlight that enters the vehicle, and one of the control modes is selected and executed by operating the passenger's operation panel. Also good.
Further, for example, the drive control unit 42 makes the light control film 10 of the roof window 31 light-shielded while the power source such as the engine of the vehicle 30 is stopped, and the inside of the parked vehicle is visually recognized through the roof window 31. You may make it prevent it being done. In this case, if a normally black mode liquid crystal layer that does not consume power in a light-shielded state is applied to the light control film 10, power consumption from the battery while the power source is stopped can be reduced.

The vehicle light control system 33 operates when electric power is supplied from an alternator and a battery mounted on the vehicle 30.
Here, the alternator is a generator connected to the axle of the vehicle 30 or the engine, a rectifier called a rectifier that rectifies the generated AC voltage and converts it into a DC output voltage, and an integrated circuit. And a voltage control device called a voltage regulator that controls the output voltage.
Since the voltage output from the alternator changes according to the rotational speed of the axle of the vehicle 30 or the rotational speed of the engine, the voltage regulator monitors the output voltage and controls the field current of the alternator. The output voltage is adjusted. The voltage regulator supplies power at a voltage at which the electrical components of the vehicle 30 normally operate even under ever-changing driving conditions.
The battery is, for example, a secondary battery such as a lead battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, or a lithium ion battery. The battery stores the output voltage from the alternator and discharges the stored output voltage to supply power to the vehicle dimming system 33. Supply.
In addition, although the example of supplying electric power from the alternator and the battery mounted on the vehicle 30 is shown as the method for supplying electric power to the vehicle light control system 33, the present invention is not limited to this. Power is supplied from one of the alternator and the battery mounted on the battery, or a battery for the vehicle dimming system 33 is separately provided so that power is supplied from the battery. The power supply method may be applied.

As described above, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment has the following effects.
(1) A vehicle in which the indoor height h1 is h1 ≦ 1250 mm, the ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 satisfies h1 / h2 ≧ 0.76, and the roof portion is provided with an opening 32. The light control film 10 disposed in the opening 32 of the light and a drive control unit 42 that changes the transmittance of the light control film 10, and only the light control film 10 changes the amount of external light passing through the opening 32. Let As a result, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the indoor height as compared with the case where a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped light shielding member is provided to shield the interior of the vehicle, and a passenger's overhead space can be secured. . Further, since the light shielding member is provided on the roof window, it is possible to prevent the interior height of the vehicle from being raised, the center of gravity of the vehicle from being increased, and the traveling stability of the vehicle from being lowered. Furthermore, when parking, etc., the inside of the vehicle may be looked into from the roof window 31, but since the light control film 10 is provided on the roof window 31, peeping is prevented and the privacy inside the vehicle is protected. Can do.

(2) The vehicle 30 of the present embodiment includes a liquid crystal layer 14 in which the light control film 10 is sandwiched between the upper laminate 12 having at least the base material 21A and the lower laminate 13 having at least the base material 21B. The transparent electrodes 22A and 22B provided on the upper laminated body 12 and the lower laminated body 13 are provided, and the drive control unit 42 changes the transmittance of the light control member by controlling the voltage applied to the transparent electrode. Let Thereby, the light control film provided in the vehicle 30 can be realized more specifically by the configuration using the liquid crystal cell 15, and external light such as sunlight entering the vehicle can be adjusted.

(3) Since the light control film 10 is sandwiched between the upper laminated body 12 and the lower laminated body 13 and includes a bead spacer that defines the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 14, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment includes a photo spacer. Compared with the case where it is applied, the light control film 10 can be changed to a transmittance according to the passenger's preference with higher accuracy, and the interior space can be made comfortable.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the vehicle 30 having the vehicle light control system 33 according to the second embodiment. The vehicle 30 in FIG. 5 is a schematic view as viewed from above.
Note that, in the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals are given to portions that perform the same functions as those in the first embodiment described above, and redundant descriptions are omitted as appropriate.
As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment is the first implementation in that the light control film 10 is divided into a plurality of segments and the passenger position information acquisition unit 41 is provided. It is mainly different from the vehicle 30 of the form.

As in the first embodiment, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment is a coupe type in which the indoor height h1 is h1 ≦ 1250 mm and the ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 satisfies h1 / h2 ≧ 0.76. It is a vehicle.
The roof window 31 is disposed in an opening 32 formed in the roof (ceiling) of the vehicle (passenger car) 30. The light control film 10 constituting the roof window 31 is manufactured by dividing the transparent electrode 22A and / or the transparent electrode 22B into a plurality of insulated partial electrodes (regions) capable of individually supplying drive power. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, the light control film 10 includes a plurality of regions (hereinafter, each region is appropriately referred to as a segment) SG <b> 1 and SG <b> 2 capable of independently changing the transmittance. Formed by segments.

It is also possible to spread a plurality of light control films in the plane of the roof window 31 of the vehicle 30 so that each light control film corresponds to the above-mentioned segment, but in this case, the connection between adjacent light control films is possible. The eyes (boundaries) may be noticeable, and the appearance may be impaired.
On the other hand, the light control film 10 of this embodiment is comprised from one film form, and only the transparent electrode which comprises the light control film 10 is divided | segmented into several area | region (partial electrode) as mentioned above. Has been. Therefore, the boundary between the segments of the light control film 10 can be suppressed as much as possible, and the manufacturing process of the roof window 31 can be simplified.

Here, the form of the electrode of the light control film 10 of this embodiment which has a some segment is demonstrated.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the form of the transparent electrode of the light control film. In addition, in FIG. 6, illustration of structures other than the transparent electrode which comprises the light control film 10 is abbreviate | omitted in order to clarify description.
The transparent electrodes 22A and 22B of the light control film 10 are divided as follows, for example.
As shown in FIG. 6 (a), the transparent electrode 22A provided on the light control film 10 is divided into two in the direction along the long side (the vehicle width direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the vehicle 30). 22A is formed on the base material 21A in a state of being divided into a plurality of partial electrodes 22A1 and 22A2. Further, the transparent electrode 22B facing the transparent electrode 22A is formed on the entire surface of the base material 21B without being divided. Thereby, the multisegment light control film 10 which has segment SG1, SG2 is formed.
In the above description, the transparent electrode 22A is divided into two parts. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The transparent electrode 22B is divided into two parts, and the transparent electrode 22A is formed on the entire surface of the base 21A. You may make it do.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, the transparent electrode 22B and the transparent electrode 22A may be divided in the same manner as the transparent electrode 22A in FIG. Specifically, the transparent electrode 22A is formed by a plurality of partial electrodes 22A1, 22A2, and the transparent electrode 22B is divided so as to correspond to the transparent electrode 22A, that is, the transparent electrode 22B is formed by a plurality of partial electrodes 22B1, 22B2. By doing, the multi-segment light control film 10 which has segment SG1, SG2 is formed.
Such division of the transparent electrodes 22A and 22B can be made by patterning the transparent electrode.

In addition, the division | segmentation by patterning of transparent electrode 22A, 22B may make each division | segmentation number differ in transparent electrode 22A, 22B which opposes.
In the example shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B described above, the patterning of the transparent electrodes 22A and 22B is an example in which the transparent electrodes 22A and 22B are divided into rectangular shapes. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be divided by various shapes such as a hexagonal shape, a trapezoidal shape, a parallelogram shape, and a triangular shape.
For example, in FIG. 6C, the transparent electrode 22A is patterned with a plurality of triangular partial electrodes. In the case where the segment is formed by patterning with the triangular partial electrode in this way, for example, as shown by hatching in FIG. it can. Thereby, external light can be taken in more efficiently and incidence of sunlight on the passenger's head can be locally suppressed.

In the vehicle 30, an opening 32 is formed in an upper roof portion (ceiling) of the passengers of the seats S <b> 1 and S <b> 2, and a roof window 31 is disposed so as to close the opening 32. Further, in addition to the light control film 10, the opening portion 32 of the vehicle 30 is not provided with a light shielding member that blocks outside light passing through the opening portion 32. That is, only the light control film 10 changes the amount of external light such as sunlight transmitted through the opening 32 of the vehicle 30, and the roof window 31 is always exposed when viewed from the outside and inside of the vehicle 30. It will be in the state.
The roof window 31 may be arranged so as not to be opened and closed with respect to the opening 32, or may be arranged to be opened and closed with respect to the opening 32 via an opening / closing mechanism.
Each segment SG1, SG2 of the light control film 10 is provided corresponding to each seat S1, S2 of the vehicle 30, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle 30 includes a roof window 31 provided with the above-described light control film 10, a passenger position information acquisition unit 41, and a drive control unit 42 of the light control film 10. 33.

In this embodiment, the vehicle light control system 33 including the passenger position information acquisition unit 41 and the drive control unit 42 of the light control film 10 is provided as an information processing device (for example, the vehicle 30) as a light control film control program. The electronic control unit (ECU 40) is configured to be executed.
Here, the ECU 40 includes an input circuit unit, an arithmetic processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) that inputs various signals provided from various sensors provided in the vehicle, pressure sensors described later, operation signals output from the operation panel, and the like. )), Various control programs executed by the CPU, control program for the above-mentioned light control film, storage circuit section for storing calculation results, control signals for controlling each section such as the drive source (engine) of the vehicle 30, An output circuit unit that outputs a control signal or the like for controlling the light control film 10 is provided.
Note that the vehicle light control system 33 is not limited to the control program described above, and each part of the vehicle light control system 33 may be configured as a processing circuit.

  The vehicle light control system 33 is a system that adjusts the amount of incident external light incident on the vehicle from the roof window 31, and controls the segments SG1 and SG2 of the light control film 10 provided on the roof window 31. The amount of external light incident on the vehicle can be adjusted for each seat.

  The occupant position information acquisition unit 41 detects the occupant position information of the occupant seated in the seats S <b> 1 and S <b> 2 of the vehicle 30 and outputs the detected information to the drive control unit 42. Here, the vehicle 30 includes a pressure sensor in each of the seats S1 and S2, and the occupant position information acquisition unit 41 detects the seating of the occupant on the corresponding seat by weighting the pressure sensor, and this detection is performed. The result is output as passenger position information.

  The occupant position information acquisition unit 41 detects the occupant by, for example, detecting the occupant by performing image processing on the in-vehicle imaging result using visible light and infrared rays instead of detecting the occupant by the pressure sensor described above. A variety of detection methods can be applied.

  The drive control unit 42 includes a power supply unit that outputs a drive power supply to each of the segments SG1 and SG2 of the light control film 10, and is configured by an arithmetic processing unit that controls the power supply unit. The drive control unit 42 locally changes the transmittance of the segment corresponding to the seat on which the passenger is seated based on the passenger position information.

  More specifically, when the occupant (driver) is only in the driver's seat (seat S1), the drive control unit 42 responds to the driver's operation using an operation panel (not shown). While changing the transmittance of the segment SG1 corresponding to the seat S1), the current transmittance of the segment SG2 corresponding to the passenger seat (seat S2) is maintained.

In addition, when a passenger is in the driver's seat (seat S1) and the passenger seat (seat S2), the drive control unit 42 moves to the driver's seat (seat S1) according to an operation on the operation panel on the driver's seat side. The transmittance of the corresponding segment SG1 is changed, and the transmittance of the segment SG2 corresponding to the passenger seat (seat S2) is changed according to the operation by the operation panel on the passenger seat side.
Here, as described above, since the light control film 10 of the present embodiment uses a bead spacer as the spacer 24, the light control film 10 according to the passenger's preference more accurately than when a photo spacer is applied. The transmittance can vary.
In addition, instead of providing an operation panel in each seat, one operation panel may be provided in an instrument panel on which instruments are arranged so that passengers in the driver seat and the passenger seat can operate together.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the vehicle light control system 33 according to the second embodiment.
The vehicle light control system 33 including the passenger position information acquisition unit 41 and the drive control unit 42 described above repeats the processing procedure (SP1, SP2) shown in FIG. Control the incidence.
That is, the vehicle light control system 33 provided in the vehicle 30 acquires the occupant position information by the occupant position information acquisition unit 41 (SP1), and the drive control unit 42 transmits each segment according to the occupant position information. The light is controlled (SP2).

As described above, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment can achieve the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above.
In addition, the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment includes a passenger position information acquisition unit 41 that acquires passenger position information that is information on the position of the passenger in the vehicle, and the drive control unit 42 is based on the passenger position information. The transmittance of the portion of the light control film 10 corresponding to the place on which the passenger is boarding is locally changed. As a result, in the place where the passenger is on board, the transmittance of the light control film 10 of the corresponding part is changed as desired by the passenger, and the part of the part corresponding to the place where the passenger is not on board is changed. The change of the transmittance of the light control film 10 can be omitted, and the power consumption accompanying the control of the light control film 10 can be reduced.
Further, in the vehicle 30 of the present embodiment, the light control film 10 is divided into a plurality of segments, and the drive control unit 42 individually controls the transmittance of the plurality of segments. The transmittance of the optical film 10 can be locally changed.

[Other Embodiments]
As mentioned above, although the specific structure suitable for implementation of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention can change the structure of the above-mentioned embodiment variously in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the vehicle 30 is applied to a two-seat coupe type sports car is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the indoor height h1 satisfies h1 ≦ 1250 mm and the indoor height The vehicle may be a sedan type or a station wagon type as long as the ratio of h1 to the total height h2 satisfies h1 / h2 ≧ 0.76.

  In the second embodiment described above, the vehicle 30 is provided with the passenger position information acquisition unit 41. However, the passenger position information acquisition unit 41 may be omitted.

Moreover, although the above-mentioned embodiment demonstrated in the example to which the light control film which has flexibility as a light control member was applied, it is not limited to this. For example, you may make it apply the light control member which does not have flexibility by making the base material of the above-mentioned light control film 10 into plate-shaped glass.
In this case, this light control member may be applied instead of any one of the glass plates 2 and 3 of the roof window 31.

  In addition, a transparent resin plate may be applied to the roof window 31 instead of the plate glasses 2 and 3. Thereby, the weight of the roof window can be reduced, and the weight of the vehicle 30 and the center of gravity can be reduced.

2, 3 Plate glass 4, 5 Intermediate layer 10 Light control film 12 Upper laminated body 13 Lower laminated body 14 Liquid crystal layer 15 Liquid crystal cell 16, 17 Linearly polarizing plate 21A, 21B Base material 22A, 22B Transparent electrode 23A, 23B Alignment layer 24 Spacer 25 Sealing material 30 Vehicle 31 Roof window 32 Opening 33 Vehicle light control system 41 Passenger position information acquisition unit 42 Drive control unit S1, S2 Seat SG1, SG2 Segment

Claims (6)

A vehicle in which an indoor height h1 is h1 ≦ 1250 mm, a ratio between the indoor height h1 and the total height h2 satisfies h1 / h2 ≧ 0.76, and an opening is provided in a roof portion;
A light control member disposed in the opening of the roof portion;
A drive control unit that changes the transmittance of the light control member,
Only the light control member changes the amount of external light passing through the opening,
A vehicle characterized by The light control member is
A liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first laminate having at least a substrate and a second laminate having at least a substrate;
A transparent electrode provided on at least one of the first laminate and the second laminate,
The drive control unit changes the transmittance of the light control member by controlling a voltage applied to the transparent electrode;
The vehicle according to claim 1. The light control member includes a bead spacer sandwiched between the first laminate and the second laminate and defining a thickness of the liquid crystal layer;
The vehicle according to claim 2. A passenger position information acquisition unit that acquires passenger position information that is information on the position of the passenger in the vehicle;
The drive control unit
Based on the occupant position information, locally changing the transmittance of the dimming member of the portion corresponding to the location on which the occupant is boarding,
The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The light control member is divided into a plurality of segments,
The drive control unit individually controlling the transmittance of the plurality of segments;
The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by: The drive control unit is configured to control the dimming member by dividing it into a plurality of modes having different modes of change in transmittance;
The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein:

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