U.S. patent application number 16/041926 was filed with the patent office on 2019-03-21 for vehicle interior structure, interior member used therefor, method for producing the same, and method for producing polarizing member.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Masashi IWAKIRI.
Application Number | 20190084384 16/041926 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65719794 |
Filed Date | 2019-03-21 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190084384 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
IWAKIRI; Masashi |
March 21, 2019 |
VEHICLE INTERIOR STRUCTURE, INTERIOR MEMBER USED THEREFOR, METHOD
FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING POLARIZING
MEMBER
Abstract
Provided are a vehicle interior structure in which a burden for
passengers caused by reflected light generated due to a mirror
phenomenon and the like can be reduced while at the same time the
design can be enhanced, an interior member used therefor, a method
for producing the same, and a method for producing a polarizing
member. An instrument panel as an interior member includes a glossy
portion and a polarizing layer formed on the surface of the glossy
portion, the glossy portion being adapted to reflect light coming
through a windshield and the polarizing layer being adapted to
absorb optical oscillation components in the vehicle width
direction.
Inventors: |
IWAKIRI; Masashi;
(Toyota-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Toyota-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Toyota-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
65719794 |
Appl. No.: |
16/041926 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 2307/4026 20130101;
B32B 27/32 20130101; B32B 2605/003 20130101; B32B 2255/10 20130101;
B32B 2307/406 20130101; B32B 2307/42 20130101; B32B 2250/02
20130101; B32B 2255/26 20130101; B32B 2307/416 20130101; B32B
27/306 20130101; B60J 3/06 20130101; B32B 27/42 20130101; B32B
27/08 20130101; B32B 27/20 20130101; B60J 3/007 20130101; B32B
2250/246 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60J 3/06 20060101
B60J003/06; B32B 27/30 20060101 B32B027/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 19, 2017 |
JP |
2017-178528 |
Claims
1. A vehicle interior structure comprising: an interior member; and
glass with a portion overlapping the interior member in a vertical
direction, wherein: the interior member has a glossy portion and a
polarizing layer provided on a surface of the glossy portion, the
glossy portion being adapted to reflect light coming through the
glass, and the polarizing layer being adapted to absorb optical
oscillation components in a vehicle width direction.
2. The vehicle interior structure according to claim 1, wherein:
the interior member is a member provided in a front part of the
vehicle ahead of a driver seat and a front passenger seat, and the
glass is a windshield.
3. An interior member arranged at a position overlapping glass of a
vehicle in a vertical direction, the interior member comprising: a
glossy portion adapted to reflect light coming through the glass;
and a polarizing layer provided on a surface of the glossy portion,
the polarizing layer being adapted to absorb optical oscillation
components in a vehicle width direction.
4. A method for producing an interior member, the interior member
being adapted to be arranged at a position overlapping glass of a
vehicle in a vertical direction, comprising: preparing an interior
member with a glossy portion, the glossy portion being adapted to
reflect light coming through the glass; humidifying and swelling a
film so as to plasticize the film; stretching the plasticized film
in a vehicle width direction so as to shape the plasticized film in
conformity with a surface shape of the glossy portion of the
interior member while at the same time providing the film with a
polarizing property to absorb optical oscillation components in the
vehicle width direction, and attaching the film being stretched to
a surface of the glossy portion; and drying the attached film.
5. The method for producing an interior member according to claim
4, further comprising forming a coating layer on a surface of the
polarizing layer made of the dried film, the coating layer being
adapted to protect the polarizing layer.
6. A method for producing a polarizing member adapted to absorb
optical oscillation components in a single direction, comprising:
humidifying and swelling a film so as to plasticize the film;
stretching the plasticized film in a single direction so as to
shape the plasticized film in conformity with a surface shape of a
target member while at the same time providing the film with a
polarizing property to absorb optical oscillation components in the
single direction, and attaching the film being stretched to a
surface of the target member; and drying the attached film.
7. The method for producing a polarizing member according to claim
6, further comprising forming a coating layer on a surface of the
polarizing layer made of the dried film, the coating layer being
adapted to protect the polarizing layer.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority from Japanese patent
application JP 2017-178528 filed on Sep. 19, 2017, the content of
which is hereby incorporated by reference into this
application.
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle interior
structure in which an interior member (for example, an instrument
panel) and glass (for example, a windshield) overlap in the
vertical direction, an interior part used therefor, a method for
producing the same, and a method for producing a polarizing
member.
Background Art
[0003] When a vehicle such as an automobile runs, an object in the
vehicle cabin may be produced as reflected light on the windshield
due to a mirror phenomenon and the like (which is also referred to
as mirror-like reflection or reflection in the window). In such a
case, passengers in the vehicle cabin, in particular, a driver has
an obstructed field of view and thus may not have a good field of
view, accompanying eye fatigue in some cases. In particular, if a
very glossy (highly reflective) member (for example, a highly
reflective decorative layer such as a metal, metal-like, or
metallic member) is arranged in the vehicle cabin, too strong
reflected light may be generated, which can give a feeling of
discomfort to the driver.
[0004] As a technique for reducing such reflected light generated
due to a mirror phenomenon and the like, there is known a technique
of laying a light-absorbing sheet, which has been processed to have
a black tone, on an instrument panel located below a windshield
ahead of passengers in a vehicle cabin, thereby blocking reflected
light from the instrument panel on the windshield (for example, see
JP 3120434 U).
SUMMARY
[0005] However, since the color of the light-absorbing sheet
arranged on the instrument panel to prevent reflection in the
window in the background art described in JP 3120434 U is limited
to a dark color such as black, the design of the sheet is
degraded.
[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the
foregoing, and exemplary embodiments relate to providing a vehicle
interior structure in which a burden for passengers caused by
reflected light generated due to a mirror phenomenon and the like
can be reduced while at the same time the design can be enhanced,
an interior member used therefor, a method for producing the same,
and a method for producing a polarizing member.
[0007] Accordingly, a vehicle interior structure in accordance with
the present disclosure is a vehicle interior structure including an
interior member and glass with a portion overlapping the interior
member in the vertical direction, in which the interior member has
a glossy portion and a polarizing layer provided on a surface of
the glossy portion, the glossy portion being adapted to reflect
light coming through the glass, and the polarizing layer being
adapted to absorb optical oscillation components in the vehicle
width direction.
[0008] The interior member is preferably a member provided in the
front part of the vehicle ahead of a driver seat and a front
passenger seat, and the glass is preferably a windshield.
[0009] In addition, the interior member in accordance with the
present disclosure is an interior member arranged at a position
overlapping glass of a vehicle in the vertical direction, the
interior member including a glossy portion adapted to reflect light
coming through the glass; and a polarizing layer provided on a
surface of the glossy portion, the polarizing layer being adapted
to absorb optical oscillation components in the vehicle width
direction.
[0010] A method for producing an interior member in accordance with
the present disclosure is a method for producing an interior
member, the interior member being adapted to be arranged at a
position overlapping glass of a vehicle in the vertical direction,
the method including preparing an interior member with a glossy
portion, the glossy portion being adapted to reflect light coming
through the glass; humidifying and swelling a film so as to
plasticize the film; stretching the plasticized film in the vehicle
width direction so as to shape the plasticized film in conformity
with a surface shape of the glossy portion of the interior member
while at the same time providing the film with a polarizing
property to absorb optical oscillation components in the vehicle
width direction, and attaching the film being stretched to a
surface of the glossy portion; and drying the attached film.
[0011] The method for producing an interior member preferably
further includes forming a coating layer on a surface of the
polarizing layer made of the dried film, the coating layer being
adapted to protect the polarizing layer.
[0012] A method for producing a polarizing member in accordance
with the present disclosure is a method for producing a polarizing
member adapted to absorb optical oscillation components in a single
direction, the method including humidifying and swelling a film so
as to plasticize the film; stretching the plasticized film in a
single direction so as to shape the plasticized film in conformity
with a surface shape of a target member while at the same time
providing the film with a polarizing property to absorb optical
oscillation components in the single direction, and attaching the
film being stretched to a surface of the target member; and drying
the attached film.
[0013] The method for producing a polarizing member preferably
further includes forming a coating layer on a surface of the
polarizing layer made of the dried film, the coating layer being
adapted to protect the polarizing layer.
[0014] According to the present disclosure, the polarizing layer
provided on the surface of the glossy portion absorbs s-polarized
light (optical oscillation components of the incident sunlight in
the vehicle width direction), and passes p-polarized light
therethrough. Therefore, the glossy portion reflects only
p-polarized light. Since the p-polarized light (optical oscillation
components of the incident sunlight in the vehicle length
direction) is the optical oscillation components perpendicular to
glass (for example, the windshield), the Brewster's angle at which
no reflection occurs is present, and thus reflection can be
weakened (if s-polarized light is present, there will be no
Brewster's angle, and thus reflection tends to become stronger).
Therefore, light coming through the glass and reflected by the
glossy portion is not reflected much by the inner surface of the
glass, which can reduce a feeling of discomfort to a driver.
[0015] Therefore, a burden for the driver caused by reflected light
generated due to a mirror phenomenon and the like can be reduced
while at the same time the design can be enhanced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic
configuration of an embodiment of a vehicle interior structure in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the primary
portion in FIG. 1; and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a method for producing the
instrument panel illustrated in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be
described with reference to the drawings.
[0020] [Vehicle Interior Structure and Configuration of Instrument
Panel as Interior Member Thereof]
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a schematic configuration of
an embodiment of a vehicle interior structure in accordance with
the present disclosure as seen from the interior side of the
vehicle.
[0022] In a vehicle 1 of an embodiment illustrated in the drawing,
an instrument panel 10 produced from polypropylene (PP) resin or
the like is disposed below a windshield 5, which is provided in an
inclined manner in the front part of the vehicle 1, in the vertical
direction (at a position where the instrument panel 10 overlaps the
windshield 5 in the vertical direction) in the front part of the
vehicle 1 ahead of the driver seat and the front passenger seat. In
addition, a glossy portion 11 that reflects light coming through
the windshield 5 is provided on an upper surface of the instrument
panel 10. It is obvious that the position, size, shape, and range
of the glossy portion 11 are not limited to those illustrated in
the drawing and can be changed as appropriate.
[0023] Examples of the glossy portion 11 herein include a highly
reflective decorative layer, such as a metal, metal-like, or
metallic member including plating, an aluminum decorative plate, a
metal-deposited film, or the like; and a material that emits strong
light, such as an instrument panel with lighting and a monitor
display.
[0024] In addition, in this example, as can be clearly seen from
FIG. 2, a polarizing layer 12 that absorbs optical oscillation
components in the vehicle width direction is provided on the
surface of the glossy portion 11, and further, a coating layer 13
as an antireflective and protective layer is provided on the
surface of the polarizing layer 12 for purposes of protecting the
polarizing layer 12, preventing scratching thereon, and preventing
surface reflection, for example.
[0025] The polarizing layer 12 is formed by uniaxially stretching a
film and attaching it to the surface of the glossy portion 11
(which will be described in detail later). As the film for forming
the polarizing layer 12, a resin film, such as polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA), polyvinyl acetal, or polyvinyl butyral (PVB), is used, for
example.
[0026] The coating layer 13 is desirably formed using a material
with as small optical anisotropy as possible, and is preferably
formed using, for example, resin with a low photoelastic
coefficient including cellulose acetate such as cellulose
triacetate or cellulose diacetate; propyl cellulose such as
tripropyl cellulose or dipropyl cellulose; polymethyl methacrylate;
resin having a hydrocarbon on its main chain, such as an adamantane
ring or a cyclopentane ring; polyamide; or polyurethane. Among
them, acyl cellulose-based resin, such as cellulose acetate or
propyl cellulose, which is inexpensive, is preferably used.
[0027] In the vehicle 1 with such a configuration, the polarizing
layer 12 provided on the surface of the glossy portion 11 absorbs
s-polarized light (optical oscillation components of the incident
sunlight in the vehicle width direction), and passes p-polarized
light therethrough as illustrated in FIG. 2. Therefore, the glossy
portion 11 reflects only p-polarized light. Since the p-polarized
light (optical oscillation components of the incident sunlight in
the vehicle length direction) is the optical oscillation components
perpendicular to the windshield 5, the Brewster's angle at which no
reflection occurs can be provided by adjusting the inclination of
the windshield 5, and thus reflection can be reduced.
[0028] [Method for Producing Instrument Panel as Interior
Member]
[0029] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a method for producing the
instrument panel 10 illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 3, first, a film 14 with a
predetermined shape made of the aforementioned material is
prepared. Then, the film 14 is doped with an iodine stain
(crosslinking) solution (iodine doping) or dichromatic dye (dye
doping) so that the film is humidified and swelled to be
plasticized (S1: plasticization step through humidification and
swelling).
[0031] Although the stain (crosslinking) solution doping for
providing a polarizing property to the film 14 that combines the
process of humidifying and swelling the film 14 is performed taking
the production efficiency into consideration, such doping may be
performed after the film 14 is shaped if color unevenness caused by
the shaping is not tolerable.
[0032] Next, the film 14 plasticized in S1 is stretched uniaxially
(specifically, in the vehicle width direction and in the
oscillating direction of light to be absorbed) so that the film 14
is shaped in conformity with the surface shape of a product
(specifically, the surface shape of the glossy portion 11 of the
instrument panel 10 prepared in advance) through vacuum
decompression, air-pressure pressing, or the like while at the same
time the film 14 is provided with a polarizing property for
absorbing optical oscillation components in the uniaxial direction,
and the film 14 being stretched is attached to the surface of the
product (S2: uniaxial stretching and shaping step).
[0033] Herein, to attach the film 14 to the surface of the product,
a bonding layer may be provided on the film 14 in advance, or a
bonding layer (agent) may be formed on the surface of the product
through coating or the like.
[0034] Next, the instrument panel 10 having the film 14 attached
thereto is put in a drying furnace or the like so that the attached
film 14 is dried and fixed (S3: drying step).
[0035] Then, a coating layer 13 for protecting the polarizing layer
12, preventing scratching thereon, and preventing surface
reflection, for example, is formed on the surface of the dried film
14 (that is, the polarizing layer 12) through spray coating or the
like (S4: coating layer forming step), and the instrument panel 10
having the coating layer 13 formed thereon is put in a drying
furnace or the like so that the coating layer 13 is dried and fixed
(S5: drying step).
[0036] Through the aforementioned steps, the instrument panel 10 is
produced that has formed on the surface of the glossy portion 11
the polarizing layer 12 for absorbing optical oscillation
components in the vehicle width direction and the coating layer 13
for protecting the polarizing layer 12, for example.
[0037] With the conventional production method, it has been
difficult to provide a polarizing property to a member having a
complex shape with a number of projections and recesses, such as an
automobile component (that is, the flexibility in shape has been
low). In contrast, according to the production method of this
example, since the film 14 can be deformed in keeping with the
shape of a target member, the film 14 can be provided with a
polarizing property even when the member has a complex shape (that
is, the film 14 can be formed as a polarizing member), and thus the
flexibility in shape can be significantly improved.
[0038] As described above, in this embodiment, the polarizing layer
12 provided on the surface of the glossy portion 11 absorbs
s-polarized light (optical oscillation components of the incident
sunlight in the vehicle width direction), and passes p-polarized
light therethrough. Therefore, the glossy portion 11 reflects only
p-polarized light. Since the p-polarized light (optical oscillation
components of the incident sunlight in the vehicle length
direction) is the optical oscillation components perpendicular to
the windshield 5, the Brewster's angle at which no reflection
occurs is present, and thus reflection can be reduced (if
s-polarized light is present, there will be no Brewster's angle,
and thus reflection tends to become stronger). Therefore, light
coming through the windshield 5 and reflected by the glossy portion
11 is not reflected much by the inner surface of the windshield,
which can reduce a feeling of discomfort to passengers, such as a
driver. Therefore, a burden for the passengers caused by reflected
light generated due to a mirror phenomenon and the like can be
reduced while at the same time the design can be enhanced.
[0039] It should be noted that the aforementioned embodiment has
mainly illustrated an example in which, in the vehicle 1 having the
instrument panel 10, which is an interior member arranged in the
front part of the vehicle 1, and the windshield 5 with a portion
overlapping the instrument panel 10 in the vertical direction, the
polarizing layer 12 is provided on the surface of the glossy
portion 11 on the instrument panel 10, whereby reflection by the
windshield 5 (or the inner surface thereof) (mirror-like reflection
or reflection in the window) is suppressed. However, it is needless
to mention that the present disclosure is also applicable to, in a
vehicle having a rear window, a roof window, and the like, an
interior member provided at a position overlapping the rear window,
the roof window, or the like in the vertical direction.
[0040] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been
described in detail with reference to the drawings, a specific
configuration is not limited thereto, and any design changes that
are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure are all
included in the present disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS
[0041] 1 Vehicle [0042] 5 Windshield (glass) [0043] 10 Instrument
panel (interior member, polarizing member) [0044] 11 Glossy portion
[0045] 12 Polarizing layer [0046] 13 Coating layer [0047] 14
Film
* * * * *