Side clearance device for motor vehicle, side viewing system and associated motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention concerns a side clearance device for motor vehicle comprising: a first section comprising a first end fixed with a fastening plate; the said first section extending according to a first direction (XI); a second section comprising a first end connected with a second end of the said first section; and the said second section extending according to a second direction (X2); the said first and second sections having a drag coefficient of under 0.45; the said second section possessing a terminal surface (20) between 40 and 600 mm2, opposite to the said first end of the said second section; the said terminal surface (20) being designed to extend in the field of vision of the driver when the said fastening plate is fixed onto a vehicle.

Claims

1. A side-viewing system for a motor vehicle comprising: at least one camera configured to capture at least a rear side view of a vehicle; at least one control screen connected with the at least one camera and configured to display images from the at least one camera; the at least one control screen configured to fix inside the vehicle in a field of vision of a driver; and at least one side clearance device comprising: a fastening plate configured to fix to a vehicle; a first section comprising a first end fixed with the fastening plate, wherein when the fastening plate is fixed onto the vehicle, the first section extends away from the vehicle from the fastening plate; and a second section comprising a first end connected with a second end of the first section, the second end of the first section being opposed to the first end of the first section, wherein when the fastening plate is fixed onto a vehicle, the second section extends about along a height of the vehicle; wherein the first and second sections have a drag coefficient of under 0.45; wherein the second section possesses a terminal surface between 40 and 600 mm.sup.2, opposed to the first end of the second section; wherein the terminal surface is designed to extend in a field of vision of a driver when the fastening plate is fixed onto the vehicle; and wherein the terminal surface extends further away from the vehicle than the at least one camera.

2. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second sections has a streamlined body.

3. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein the first and second sections have a drag coefficient of under 0.3.

4. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein the side clearance device comprises a camera configured to capture at least a rear side view of the vehicle when the fastening plate is fixed onto the vehicle.

5. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein the first and the second sections are connected with a pivot.

6. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein the first or second section comprises a fuse part configured to break in case of impact on the second section.

7. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein the terminal surface has a dedicated color that differs from the color of the first section.

8. The side-viewing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is mounted on at least one wing.

9. A vehicle comprising: a driver compartment comprising a front window and two side windows; and a side-viewing system, comprising: at least one camera configured to capture at least a rear side view of a vehicle; at least one control screen connected with the at least one camera and configured to display images from the at least one camera; the at least one control screen configured to fix inside the vehicle in a field of vision of a driver; and at least one side clearance device comprising: a fastening plate configured to fix to a vehicle; a first section comprising a first end fixed with the fastening plate, wherein when the fastening plate is fixed onto the vehicle, the first section extends away from the vehicle from the fastening plate; and a second section comprising a first end connected with a second end of the first section, the second end of the first section being opposed to the first end of the first section, wherein when the fastening plate is fixed onto a vehicle, the second section extends about along a height of the vehicle; wherein the first and second sections have a drag coefficient of under 0.45; wherein the second section possesses a terminal surface between 40 and 600 mm.sup.2, opposed to the first end of the second section; and wherein the terminal surface is designed to extend in the field of vision of the driver when the fastening plate is fixed onto the vehicle; wherein the terminal surface extends further away from the vehicle than the at least one camera; the side clearance device being disposed in order that the terminal surface extends in the field of vision of the driver through a side window.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle comprises two side clearance devices extending in the field of vision of the driver through two side windows facing each other.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is a truck.

Description

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The method of producing the invention and the resulting advantages are evident in the following embodiment, given for information but which is not limited, supported by the attached figures in which FIGS. 1 to 4 represent:

(2) FIG. 1: a schematic front view of a truck comprising a side viewing system and two side clearance devices according to a first embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2a-2c: three different views of one side clearance device of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3: a schematic front view of a truck comprising two side clearance devices integrating two cameras of a side viewing system or CMS according to the second embodiment of the invention; and

(5) FIG. 4: a schematic front view of a truck comprising a side clearance device integrating a camera of a side viewing system or CMS according to the third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a truck comprising a driver compartment 27 with a front window 28 and two side windows 29. The truck tows a trailer 30 which is, in the specific embodiment shown, larger than the width of the driver compartment 27. However, there exist also cases where trailer could be almost as large as or even less large than the width of the driver compartment, for which the present solution can also be implemented.

(7) The control of the rear sides of the truck is realized by a side viewing system comprising two cameras 22 and two control screens 23 (CMS). The cameras 22 are fixed one on each side of the driver compartment 27 by aerodynamic wings 25 getting away from the sides of the driver compartment 27 in order to capture the rear sides of the trailer 30. The control screens 23 are fixed with mechanical means, for instance screws or glue, on the angles of the driver compartment 27 where the side mirrors are classically visible by the driver.

(8) The issue of the estimation of the distance between a side of the driver compartment 27 and elements disposed near this side is addressed by two side clearance devices 10.

(9) A side clearance device 10 is depicted by FIGS. 2a-2c. This side clearance device 10 comprises a first section 14 and a second section 18 connected together. The first section 14 comprises a first end 15 fixed onto a fastening plate 11 in order to fix the side clearance device 10 onto the door or any part on the side of the truck including protruding on the side but fixed on the roof of the vehicle. For this purpose, the fastening plate 11 comprises mechanical means, such as holes 12 for the passing of screws or rivets. The fastening plate 11 can be realized by a thin metallic plate, with a thickness between 0.1 cm and 2 cm.

(10) The first section 14 extends according to a first direction X1. When the fastening plate 11 is fixed onto the door of the truck, the first section 14 gets away from this door along the direction X1.

(11) In FIG. 1, the direction X1 is almost perpendicular with the direction of the height h of the door but the angle between the direction of the height h of the door and the direction X1 of the first section 14 can be between 30 and 130 degrees. This first section 14 can be realized in carbon or in a composite material with a small thickness due to the reason that, contrary to a classic side mirror, the first section 14 has less weight to carry.

(12) As shown in FIG. 2b, the first section 14 has a streamlined body wherein the thin part 31 is oriented in the direction of the front F of the truck and the wide part 32 is oriented in the direction of the rear R of the truck. The thickness of the first section 14 decreases as the first section 14 gets away from the door. For instance, the thickness of the first section 14 can have a thickness between 5 and 10 cm at the level of the first end 15 and between 3 and 5 cm at the level of the second end 16, opposed to the first end 15.

(13) A second section 18 is connected with the first section 14 at the level of this second end 16. This second section 18 can be fixed onto the second end 16 of the first section 14, for instance by screws or glue, or both sections 14, 18 can be connected with a pivot. A pivot permits to rotate the second section 18 according to the first section 14 in order to improve the driver's preferences or to limit the size of the side clearance device 10. Moreover, both sections 14, 18 can be fixed with a fuse part configured to break in case of impact on the second section 18. In another embodiment, this fuse part can be placed on one of the sections 14, 18.

(14) The second section 18 comprises a first end 19 connected with the second end 16 of the first section 14. This second section 18 extends in another direction X2. When the fastening plate 11 is fixed onto the door or any part on the side of the truck, alternatively protruding on the side but fixed on the roof of the vehicle, the second section 18 extends almost along the direction of the height h of the door. The second section 18 comprises a terminal surface 20 facing to the first end 19. The length of the second section 18 and the angle between both sections 14, 18 are designed such as that the terminal surface 20 extends in the field of vision of the driver when the fastening plate 11 is fixed onto the truck. In FIG. 1, the fastening plate 11 is fixed under the side window. Thus, the second section 18 extends upwards.

(15) The terminal surface 20 has a surface between 40 and 600 mm.sup.2 which permit to guaranty the vision of this terminal surface 20 by the driver. To improve this vision, this terminal surface 20 can have a dedicated colour which differs from the colour of the first section 14. Preferably, the second section 18 has also a streamlined body as disclosed with the first section 14. This particular shape of both sections 14, 18 is designed to reduce the drag coefficient of the side clearance device 10 to less than 0.02. Other shapes could be considered for both sections 14, 18 if, at the minimum, the drag coefficient of the side clearance device 10 is under 0.45.

(16) In the first embodiment of FIG. 1, the side viewing system is independent to the side clearance devices 10. FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment wherein the cameras 22 of the side viewing system are integrated in the side clearance devices 10.

(17) Each camera 22 is mounted at the second end 16 of the first section 14. Each side clearance device 10 is fixed onto the door or any part on the side of the vehicle over the side window, alternatively protruding on the side but fixed on the roof of the vehicle. Thus, the second section 18 extends downwards.

(18) In the first embodiment, the driver can see the terminal surfaces 20 of each side clearance device 10 through the bottom of the associated side windows. In this second embodiment, the driver can see the terminal surfaces 20 of each side clearance device 10 through the top of the associated side windows.

(19) A third embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4, depicts a hybrid solution wherein a unique side clearance device 10 is used for the side window side opposite to the driver side. The rear view of the driver side is realized by a camera mounted on a wing as disclosed in FIG. 1 and the rear view of the side opposite to the driver side is realized by a camera mounted on the side clearance device 10 as disclosed in FIG. 2.

(20) In figures, the invention is depicted in relation with a truck but the invention can be applied for other vehicle types, such as car, coach or tractor. Moreover, the form of the side clearance device 10 can be adapted to the vehicle as long as the side clearance device 10 has a drag coefficient of under 0.45 and a terminal surface, visible by the driver, with a surface between 40 and 600 mm.sup.2. Thus, the side clearance device 10 helps the driver to estimate the distance between a side of a vehicle and elements disposed near this side and has a small impact on frictions with air. Therefore, the consumption of the vehicle is reduced.