US 12,140,740 B2
Optical device for introducing light from outdoor view
Masatoshi Tsuji, Nisshin (JP); Kodai Takeda, Nisshin (JP); and Hiroshi Ando, Nisshin (JP)
Assigned to DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (JP); TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP); and MIRISE Technologies Corporation, Nisshin (JP)
Filed by DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (JP); TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP); and MIRISE Technologies Corporation, Nisshin (JP)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/835,029.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-102600 (JP), filed on Jun. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0404598 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 17/02 (2006.01); B60R 1/00 (2022.01); G02B 17/00 (2006.01); B60R 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 17/026 (2013.01) [B60R 1/007 (2013.01); G02B 17/006 (2013.01); G02B 17/008 (2013.01); B60R 2011/0022 (2013.01); G02B 2207/123 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical device for introducing light from an outdoor view in a blind spot area hidden by an obstacle, the optical device comprising:
a first reflector that reflects a part of light and transmits another part of the light, the first reflector having a front surface and a back surface on opposite sides of the first reflector;
a second reflector placed between the back surface of the first reflector and the obstacle and apart from the back surface of the first reflector by a predetermined distance, the second reflector having a reflective surface that reflects light incident from the first reflector toward the first reflector such that light coming from the outdoor view of the blind spot area to the first reflector is reflected by the back surface of the first reflector and then reflected by the reflective surface of the second reflector toward the first reflector; and
a light shield placed such that the first reflector is between the second reflector and the light shield, the light shield being configured to block external light incident on and reflected from the front surface of the first reflector, wherein
the light shield includes light-shielding plates arranged at an interval in a vertical direction such that a plate surface of each of the light-shielding plates is adapted so as to be horizontal in a view from a viewer who faces the front surface of the first reflector, and
the first reflector has a plate shape parallel to the reflective surface of the second reflector and tilted at a predetermined tilt angle from a vertical axis that is vertical in the view from the viewer.