CN113840728A

CN113840728A - Glass pane for a vehicle, glass sensor unit and vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN113840728A
Application number: CN202080035835.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: A.韦伯; F.沃尔多
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Volkswagen AG
Priority date: 2019-05-13
Filing date: 2020-05-06
Publication date: 2021-12-24
Also published as: WO2020229260A1; EP3969275A1; DE102019112454A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a glass pane for a vehicle, comprising at least one camera or sensor field of view (1). The camera or sensor field of view (1) can be equipped for one or more cameras and/or one or more sensors. According to the invention, the glass plate is printed at least partially on two printing surfaces in a peripheral part immediately adjacent to the field of view (1) of the at least one camera and the sensor. The glass sheet is printed between two sides of the glass sheet, at least one sheet layer being arranged according to the invention. The ply can be one or more glass sheets or, in the case of a composite safety glass, a composite film. It is advantageously provided that, according to the invention, the printing of both printed sides of the glass plate can provide a camera or sensor field of view in the immediate vicinity of a defined region, which can set the refractive power of this region. This makes it possible to ensure the function of a highly modern multifunctional camera inexpensively by means of a safety glass. The specific design of the printing, such as the choice of the printed pattern and the density of the printed pattern and the spacing of the transfixion planes of the camera field of view, must be individually determined for each glass-camera device. This is due to the fact that a number of influencing factors influence the optical properties of the glass sheet, including the curvature of the glass and the manufacturing process of the glass.

Description

Glass pane for a vehicle, glass sensor unit and vehicle

The invention relates to a glass pane for a vehicle, a glass sensor unit for a vehicle and a vehicle.

Modern vehicles have a number of auxiliary systems. The assistance system here evaluates a large amount of environmental data of the vehicle, for example the distance to obstacles or other traffic participants, including traffic signs, lane markings, street directions and other various objects. Highly modern sensors can be used for data acquisition, for example multifunctional cameras or rainfall and lighting sensors (RLFS) for controlling the windshield wipers as a function of the precipitation intensity or the vehicle lights. For this purpose, most vehicles have a multifunctional camera oriented in the direction of travel and a rainfall and illumination sensor, which is arranged behind the front windshield in the vehicle interior, mostly in the region above the middle.

Furthermore, data of the entire vehicle surroundings are required, in particular for autonomous vehicles. For this purpose, cameras are also arranged which are directed through the side windows or the rear window.

The multifunctional camera has high requirements for the refraction function, the red proportion, the transmission function and the polarization value of the vehicle window glass. Since the front windshield of a vehicle is largely made of a composite safety glass (VSG), it is very difficult to meet the requirements. It has also been shown before that all new generations of multifunctional cameras also place higher demands on the refractive power of glass in particular due to the ever increasing resolution.

The refractive power of the windshield is strongly influenced by the manufacturing process. As a result, material changes, which lead to a change in the refractive power, are often caused by shaping of the glass, for example by means of gravity bending or pressure bending. In order to produce composite glazing for motor vehicles, different methods are respectively used depending on the manufacturer, wherein these different methods also result in different optical properties of the glazing.

In DE 102010004443 a1 and DE 10009992 a1, it is proposed to adapt the transmission properties of the glass region associated with the photosensor to the requirements of the sensor by means of an infrared filter film. But this solution cannot be used for the current problem because the infrared film negatively affects the function of the multifunctional camera. This is the case in so-called climate comfort glasses, whose infrared layer likewise limits the function of the camera.

Further solutions are not known in the prior art. The production process of the glass can therefore be adapted in a cost-effective manner by means of appropriate experiments in order to meet the requirements of the camera.

The object of the invention is to propose a possibility for adapting the refractive power of a region of a glass plate provided with a multifunctional camera or sensor.

Glass consisting of a composite safety glass (VSG) and a monolithic safety glass (ESG) is used in vehicle glazings. In this case, window panes made of composite safety glass are mostly used as front windshields to ensure the protection of the occupants of the front seats against debris. Side panes and taillights are mostly produced from single-pane safety glass for cost and weight reasons, but composite safety glass can also be used here in advanced vehicles.

In the case of safety glass, stresses are introduced into the glass sheet by heat treatment, which cause the glass sheet to break into a large number of small fragments under mechanical load. The risk of injury is greatly reduced due to these small fragments.

The composite safety glass consists of two safety glasses which are bonded to one another by a film arranged between them. In this way, for example, in the event of a traffic accident, fragments of glass remain stuck to the film after mechanical stress and the risk of injury to persons in the accident is minimized.

In the composite safety glass, four side faces are defined, which correspond to the side faces of two connected safety glasses. In the mounted state, one can distinguish between the outside glass and the inside glass of the composite. The first side surface is defined as the outer side of the composite glass, i.e. the outer side of the outer glass. The second side is the inner side of the outer pane, i.e. the side of the outer pane facing the film. The third side is the side of the inner pane which is directed outwards, i.e. which is connected to the film, and the fourth side is the inner side of the inner pane, i.e. the side which faces the interior space of the vehicle.

Modern vehicles mostly have a camera, which takes images through the front windshield, viewed in the direction of travel. For certain systems, in particular in automatically driven vehicles, the camera is intended for the entire surroundings of the vehicle. The camera thus views through the front windshield, the rear window and the side windows in such a vehicle.

Typically, modern vehicles have two cameras which are directed through the front windshield, one being a multifunctional camera for the vicinity in front of the vehicle, the data of which is used, for example, to avoid collisions. The other is a remote camera which is focused on a further region in front of the vehicle and can thus be used, for example, for recognizing traffic signs. Furthermore, additional sensors, for example precipitation sensors, which detect the intensity of precipitation, are often arranged in a vehicle in a directed manner through the front windshield.

The optical requirements of a front windshield for a multi-function camera have continued to increase in recent years. If the models used up to now require a refractive power below 400mdpt, the prerequisite requirement for the subsequent models is already a refractive power below 60 mdpt. A further requirement of the camera on the optical quality of the front windscreen is the rate of Change (Rat of Change). The rate of change represents the value of the maximum difference in the refractive power values of the points in the glass sheet within the field of view of the multifunction camera/sensor.

The glazing for a vehicle according to the invention has at least one camera or sensor field of view. Typically, the camera or sensor field of view is arranged in an upper middle region of a front windshield of the motor vehicle, in a further embodiment the camera or sensor field of view is arranged centrally in a lower region of the front windshield. The specific position of the camera or sensor field of view in the glass plate is not important to the invention here. The camera or sensor field of view may be designed for one or more cameras and/or one or more sensors.

For clarity, a camera or sensor field of view may also be defined for only one camera or only one sensor.

The glass plate according to the invention can be in the field of view of a plurality of cameras or sensors. The particular design is dependent upon the particular vehicle and the number and type of cameras and sensors installed.

As used within the scope of the present application, "above" and "below" the field of view of the camera or sensor relates to the mounted state of the glass pane according to the invention.

In this case, the at least one camera and/or the at least one sensor each have a camera or a sensor field of view which is directed through the glass pane. In the front windshield, the camera or sensor field of view has in most cases, due to the positioning angle of the front windshield, a penetration surface on the front windshield which has as far as possible the shape of an isosceles trapezoid.

According to the invention, the glass plate is at least partially printed on at least two printed side surfaces in the immediate vicinity of the penetration surface of the camera and/or sensor field of view. Between the two sides on which the glass plate is printed, at least one ply is provided according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the glass plate is at least partially printed on at least two printed side faces in the immediate surroundings of the penetration face of the camera and/or sensor field of view. Advantageously, the printing on both sides is less expensive and simpler to implement than the printing on more printing sides, wherein the better arranged refractive power of both printing sides can also be utilized.

In the sense of the present patent application, a sheet layer means at least one glass sheet and/or a film layer of a glass sheet according to the invention. The ply may then be a glass ply of a single sheet of safety glass or may even be one glass with or without a film layer, two glasses with film layers or only a film layer of a composite safety glass.

In the sense of the present patent application, printed side denotes the side of the glass plate according to the invention which is printed. The printed side in the composite pane can thus be the aforementioned four sides of the composite pane and in the monolithic safety pane can be the inner and outer sides of the pane. In the sense of the present patent application, the outer printed side in a composite glazing panel means the side which is printed, which is arranged further to the outside, i.e. further away from the camera located in the vehicle interior; and the inner printed side represents the side that is printed, which is arranged closer to the camera located in the vehicle interior space. In the composite glazing panel, printing is performed according to the invention on the

sides

2 and 4, whereby the side 4 is the inner printed side and the side 2 is the outer printed side.

In the case of composite safety glass panes, the pane is preferably either the glass on the outside of the composite with or without the film or the glass on the inside of the composite with or without the film. Advantageously, the refractive power can be influenced more strongly by the printing according to the invention.

Advantageously, it is provided that the refractive power and other optical properties of the regions can be set by means of the printing according to the invention of the two printed sides of the glass plate in the immediate vicinity of the defined regions. The function of a highly modern multifunctional camera through a safety glass can thereby be ensured inexpensively.

The specific design of the printing, such as the choice of the printing pattern and, if appropriate, the density of the printing pattern and the distance to the camera or sensor field of view, must be individually determined for each glass camera device. This is due to the fact that a number of influencing factors influence the optical properties of the glass sheet, including the curvature of the glass, the manufacturing process of the glass and here in particular the heat treatment of the glass.

Through research on front windscreens, it has been shown that the refractive power of the safety glass can be positively influenced by printing on the outer printed side and can be negatively influenced by printing on the inner printed side. Furthermore, the influence on the refractive power depends inter alia on the curvature of the glass, the change in curvature and the viewing angle of the camera (i.e. the angle between the optical axis of the camera and the glass). The viewing angle of the camera here has a non-secondary meaning. The refractive power thus increases with smaller viewing angles, which are often used in modern vehicles for optical and aerodynamic reasons. Advantageously, the optical properties of one area of the glass plate can be set by printing in the immediate vicinity of the area. The results of the development of composite safety glass are almost transferable to single-pane safety glass. The skilled person can thus determine the refractive power of the glass plate caused by the printing with less research.

Printing is effected here with the aid of printing pastes for glass surfaces known from the prior art. In this case, a paste to be baked is generally used, which paste is also baked after the printing has been applied, under the influence of heat introduced into the glass. Typically, the vehicle glass is also further shaped by heat treatment after printing. This advantageously eliminates the need for an additional work step for baking the printing paste. The particular choice of the ink paste in the present invention is not important here, as long as the printed areas are light-blocking.

In a preferred embodiment, the glass sheet is a composite glass sheet. The printing is preferably performed on the

sides

2 and 4 of the composite safety glass pane, in which case the plies are the glass and the composite film of the inner side of the composite safety glass pane. In other embodiments, this may be, for example, on side 1 and side 4, on side 2 and side 4, or on side 3 and side 4. However, printing on the outside (side 1) is disadvantageous, since the printing is subject to all weather influences and is likely to be impaired. Furthermore, an infrared layer, described below, is often applied to the glass on the side 3, which results in a preferred use on the

sides

2 and 4.

In an alternative embodiment, the glass pane is a single-pane safety glass. In this embodiment, printing is performed on both sides of the glass plate. In this case, the ply is the monolithic safety glass pane itself. Advantageously, the optical properties of the glass plate can also be adapted to the requirements of the camera head in a simple and inexpensive manner.

Certain glass panes, often referred to as climate comfort glass in motor vehicles, have an infrared layer. In some vehicle models, the infrared layer is made of silver, for example. In another application, the silver layer may be connected as a resistance heating device. The infrared layer is often arranged on the side 3 of the composite safety glass pane. Disadvantageously, in most cases the multifunctional camera cannot work through the infrared layer, so that according to the invention the infrared layer is removed in the area of the field of view of the camera or sensor.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the infrared layer is removed by means of grinding (in most cases by means of a milling cutter) or laser cutting. Advantageously, both methods can be used simply and inexpensively. Alternatively, the penetration surface can also be covered before the infrared layer is applied, so that the infrared layer is applied to the covering. After removal of the covering, the covered area is a cutout of the infrared layer.

There are also some designs of infrared layers, which have a light-transmitting property that ensures the function of the camera. In these embodiments, the infrared layer does not have to be removed.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer printing side, i.e. the printing side which is further away from the vehicle interior, is printed over the at least one camera or sensor field of view. For example, when printing

sides

2 and 4, the outer printed side is side 2, since side 2 is further away from the vehicle interior. In the case of a single-piece safety glass pane, the outer printed side is the outer side of the glass pane. The refractive power of the glass plate can thereby advantageously be set particularly well in the region of the field of view of the camera and the sensor. In the case of a composite safety glass pane, printing is preferably applied on the side 2.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the strip is printed on the inner printed side, i.e. the printed side closer to the vehicle interior space, over the field of view of the at least one camera or sensor. Here, the strip preferably has a rectangular shape or is trapezoidal. The refractive index of the glass plate can thereby advantageously be set very well, in particular in conjunction with the printing over the field of view of the at least one camera or sensor on the outer printing side. In the case of a composite safety glass pane, this printing is preferably applied on the side 4.

According to the invention, the transmission properties of the glass plate can be set very well by the positioning of the printed areas of the two printed sides (outer printed side and inner printed side) relative to each other and relative to the field of view of the camera or sensor.

In a preferred embodiment, the printing on the outer printing side above the camera or sensor field of view and the printing on the inner printing side above the camera or sensor field of view extend to a few millimeters from the camera or sensor field of view. The distance between the camera or sensor fields of view is preferably less than 15mm, more preferably less than 10mm, more preferably less than 5mm and particularly preferably more preferably less than 3 mm.

It is also preferred that the printing in the lateral area of the penetration face of the viewing cone of the multi-function camera on the outer printing side has a smaller distance to the penetration face of the viewing area than the printing on the inner printing side. Preferably, the distance of the penetration surfaces of the viewing cones printed on the outer printing side in the side region of the penetration surfaces of the viewing cones is less than 5mm, more preferably less than 3mm, than the distance of the penetration surfaces of the viewing cones printed on the inner printing side in the side region of the penetration surfaces of the viewing cones.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the printing applied preferably on the side 2 has an edge over the at least one camera or sensor field of view provided with a printed pattern. Thereby, the printing of both sides may be laminated and the optical impression of the printed camera or sensor field in the immediate surroundings may be improved.

In a further preferred embodiment, the printed pattern has a density of between 40% and 85%.

In a further preferred embodiment, the printing is applied under a screen printing process. This can advantageously be implemented easily and simply and is very well suited for laminating certain areas.

It is particularly preferred that the strip is printed under the field of view of the camera or sensor. Preferably, the strip extends over the entire width of the lower border of the penetration face of the camera field of view. Also preferably, the strip has a 1: 20 to 1: an aspect ratio between 2, preferably between 1: 4 to 1: and 8, respectively. Advantageously, it has been shown that the refractive power can be reduced by printing opaque strips.

Particularly preferably, the strip is printed on a printing side arranged close to the interior space of the vehicle. In the case of a composite safety glass pane, the light-impermeable strip is preferably printed on the side 4 of the composite safety glass pane.

It is also preferred that a further strip is arranged in parallel above the light-impermeable strip. The strip is also arranged below the field of view of the camera or sensor and has a printed pattern with a density of 20% to 80%. The influence of scattered light can thereby advantageously be minimized.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the glass pane has a fastening region for a rear view mirror. In this case, the fastening region is often arranged below the field of view of the camera or sensor. Preferably, the fastening area for the rear view mirror is printed on the outer printed side. Particularly preferably, the fastening area for the endoscope is printed on the side 2 on the composite safety glass pane.

It is also preferred that in the gap between the fixing area for the rear view mirror and the camera or sensor field of view there is a printed area on the inner printed side. Particularly preferably, the printed region has only a very small distance to the camera or sensor field of view. Particularly preferably, the distance is less than 10mm, also preferably less than 5mm and particularly preferably less than 3 mm. Preferably, the printed area also projects into the fastening area for the rear view mirror, so that there is an overlap with the printed area on the printed side outside the fastening area of the rear view mirror.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention result from the features of the remaining dependent claims.

The different embodiments of the invention described in this application can advantageously be combined with each other if not indicated to the contrary individually.

The invention is elucidated in the following embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

figure 1 shows a top view of a front windshield in the area of the camera or sensor field of view,

figure 2 shows a top view of the camera and sensor field of view of the front windscreen from above,

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a multifunctional camera arranged on a front windscreen, an

Fig. 4 shows a top view of the multifunction camera arranged on the front windshield.

Fig. 1 shows a front windshield 0 of a passenger car in the area of the camera and sensor field of view 1. The camera and sensor field of view 1 is specified for a multi-function camera. The camera and sensor field of view 1 is surrounded by a stamped edge 4. The stamped edge 4 is drawn here as an edge for reasons of visibility only and shows the edge of a black-printed region which extends without interruption from the stamped edge 4 outwards and surrounds the camera and sensor field of view 1.

The camera and sensor field of view 1 is bounded downwards by a strip 3. Here, the camera and sensor field of view 1 is surrounded by a screen printing area 2. The screen printing zone 2 has a dot grid of 85% density. The strip 3, the embossed edge 4 and the screen printing area 2 are applied during the production of the front windscreen 0 by means of the same printing paste.

Here, the embossed edge 4 (and the black print adjoining to the outside without interruption) is applied to the side 2 of the front windshield (composite) glass 0. The screen printing area 2 and the strip 3 are printed on the side 4 of the front windscreen 0. By printing on the side 2 and the side 4 of the front windshield 0, the refractive power of the front windshield 0 can be reduced to 150 and 200mdpt in the region of the camera and sensor field of view 1.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of the camera and sensor field of view 1 of the front windshield 0 from above. In fig. 2, the glass curvature is flattened for flat display. In fig. 2, the front windshield 0 has two camera views, namely the view of the multifunction camera 11, the view of the remote camera 12 directly adjacent thereto, and the view of the rainfall and lighting sensor 13. Above the field of view of the multifunction camera 11 and the field of view of the remote camera 12, a plane of black print 5 with a stamped edge 4 is applied on the side 2 of the front windscreen 0.

A strip-like screen printing 41 is also adjacent to the stamping edge 4 in the area of the side adjacent to the field of view of the multifunctional camera 11 and the field of view of the remote camera 12. The strip-shaped screen printing 41 is for aesthetic reasons here, since the optical impression can thereby be improved in a plan view from the outside to the front windshield 0. The stripes 41 may also be represented in another form. A large area grid of points is usually arranged for advantageously avoiding dazzling of the driver due to sunlight.

The stamping edge 4 has a distance a to the viewing area of the two

cameras

11, 12.

The embossing edge 5, the black print 5 and the strip-shaped screen printing 41 are arranged on the side 2 of the front windshield 0.

A strip 3 is arranged over the field of view of the two

cameras

11, 12. The strip 3 is here spaced laterally of the

camera viewing area

11, 12 by a distance e from the stamping edge 4. Centered above the field of view of the two

cameras

11, 12 in these regions, the strip has a spacing d from the field of view of the two

cameras

11, 12, wherein the spacing b is smaller in these regions than the spacing of the stamping edge 4 from the field of view of the two

cameras

11, 12.

The mirror support is arranged below the field of view of the multifunction camera 11 and has a black print for shielding the mirror support 6, which is printed on the side 2 of the front windshield 0. The black print for the shielding mirror support 6 has a width i and a distance f from the camera view of the multifunctional camera 11.

A strip of the mirror support 31 is arranged in an area between the black print for blocking the mirror support 6 and the camera view of the multi-function camera 11. The strip of the mirror support has a height g and a distance b from the camera view of the multifunctional camera 11. The strips of the mirror support 31 are superimposed with a black print for covering the mirror support 6 at a height g- (f-b).

The strips of the mirror support 31 and the strips 3 are arranged here on the side 4 of the front windshield.

An unprinted transparent area of the front windshield 0 is provided centrally in the black print for the shield glass holder 6 as a field of view for the rain and light sensor 13.

The parameters a-e shown in the figures have the following magnitudes:

a 10mm, b 3mm, c 5mm, d 13mm, e 2mm, f 14mm, g 32mm, h 5mm and i 64 mm.

The arrangement shown in fig. 2 reduces the refractive power of the two

camera views

11, 12 to 60mdpt and likewise keeps the variation ratio below 100 mdpt. Therefore, the requirements of the multifunctional camera and the remote camera can be met through the cheap and purposefully set black print.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the multifunctional camera 7 with an optical axis 71 and a camera viewing cone 72. It can be seen that the camera cones 72 refract as they pass through the front windshield 0. The viewing angle alpha of the camera is formed between the front windscreen 0 and the optical axis 71 of the camera.

Fig. 4 shows a top view from the perspective of fig. 3. The multifunction camera 7 with the optical axis 71 and the camera cone 72 can also be seen here when passing through the front windshield 0.

List of reference numerals

0 front windshield

1 Camera and sensor View

11 multifunctional camera view field

12 remote camera view

13 rain and light sensor field of view

2 Screen printing member

3 strip

31 mirror support strip

4 embossing the edges

41 strip screen printing member

5 Black stamp

6 Black print for a support of a blocking mirror

7 multifunctional camera

71 optical axis

72 camera viewing cone

Angle of view of alpha camera

Claims

1. Glass pane (0) for a vehicle having at least one camera or sensor field of view (1), wherein the glass pane (0) is printed in a peripheral region immediately adjacent to the at least one camera and sensor field of view (1) on at least two printed sides of the glass pane (0) such that a pane layer is arranged between these printed sides.

2. Glass pane (0) according to claim 1, characterised in that the glass pane (0) is a composite safety glass pane and is printed on the sides 2 and 4 or on the sides 2 and 3 in the surroundings immediately adjacent to the at least one camera and sensor field of view (1).

3. Glass pane (0) according to claim 1, characterised in that the glass pane (0) is a one-piece safety glass pane and is printed on both sides in the surroundings immediately adjacent to the at least one camera and sensor field of view (1).

4. Glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the printing has a printed pattern at least in sections.

5. Glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the glass pane (0) has an infrared layer, wherein the infrared layer is removed in the area of the camera and sensor field of view (1).

6. Glass pane (0) according to claim 5, characterised in that the infrared layer is removed by means of milling or laser lift-off.

7. Glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the printing is carried out under a screen printing process.

8. Glass pane (0) according to claim 7, characterized in that the screen printing has a density of the printed pattern of between 40% and 85%.

9. Glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the area above the at least one camera or sensor field of view (1) is printed on the inner printed side.

10. Glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the printed side on the outside above the field of view (1) of the at least one camera or sensor is printed.

11. Glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the glass pane (0) has a mirror support (6) which is arranged below the at least one camera or sensor field of view (1) and in that the glass pane (0) is printed on the outer printed side in the region of the mirror support (6).

12. Glass pane (0) according to claim 11, characterised in that on the inner printed side the area between the at least one camera or sensor field of view (1) and the area of the mirror support (6) is printed.

13. Glass pane (0) according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that in the area of the mirror support (6) there is an area which is not printed as a field of view for the sensor.

14. Glass-sensor unit for a motor vehicle, having a glass pane (0) according to one of the preceding claims.

15. A motor vehicle having a glass pane (0) according to one of claims 1 to 13.