Exterior structure, vehicle exterior structure, and method for controlling exterior structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025026264-A1
Application number	US-202418758028-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	Jul 21, 2023
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An exterior structure includes a non-light-transmitting portion configured to not transmit an external light, and a light-transmitting portion arranged near the non-light-transmitting portion and configured to reflect and transmit the external light. Light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion includes light reflected by the non-light-transmitting portion. Light released outward from the light-transmitting portion includes a combination of light reflected by the light-transmitting portion and light applied to the light-transmitting portion from an inner side and passing through the light-transmitting portion. The color difference ΔE between the light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion and the light released outward from the light-transmitting portion is 5 or less.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An exterior structure, comprising:
a non-light-transmitting portion configured to not transmit an external light; and a light-transmitting portion arranged near the non-light-transmitting portion and configured to reflect and transmit the external light, wherein light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion includes light reflected by the non-light-transmitting portion, light released outward from the light-transmitting portion includes a combination of light reflected by the light-transmitting portion and light applied to the light-transmitting portion from an inner side and passing through the light-transmitting portion, and a color difference ΔE between the light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion and the light released outward from the light-transmitting portion is 5 or less.

2 . The exterior structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a display light source arranged at the inner side of the light-transmitting portion, the display light source being configured to emit light to the light-transmitting portion to illuminate and display the light-transmitting portion, wherein
the display light source includes a light-emitting diode that emits visible light and processing circuitry configured to control light emission of the light-emitting diode, and the processing circuitry is configured to cause the light-emitting diode to emit light such that the color difference ΔE between the light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion and the light released outward from the light-transmitting portion is 5 or less.

3 . A vehicle exterior structure, comprising:
a non-light-transmitting portion configured to not transmit an external light; a light-transmitting portion arranged near the non-light-transmitting portion and configured to reflect and transmit the external light; and a display light source arranged at the inner side of the light-transmitting portion, the display light source being configured to emit light to the light-transmitting portion to illuminate and display the light-transmitting portion, wherein the light-transmitting portion, in accordance with light emission by the display light source, exhibits color in a state in which an exterior color of the light-transmitting portion is similar to an exterior color of the non-light-transmitting portion or in a state in which the exterior color of the light-transmitting portion is the same as the exterior color of the non-light-transmitting portion.

4 . The vehicle exterior structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the light-transmitting portion includes
a transparent plastic base member,
a first color exhibiting layer containing dye or pigment, and
a second color exhibiting layer containing a filler made of a cold mirror thin film reflecting visible light and transmitting infrared light, and
the light-transmitting portion has a transmittance in a range of 5% to 20% for visible light having wavelengths in a range of 380 nm to 800 nm, a maximum transmittance of 60% or more for infrared light having wavelengths in a range of 900 nm to 2000 nm, and an attenuation factor of 3.0 dB or less for millimeter waves.

5 . The vehicle exterior structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the display light source includes a light-emitting diode that emits visible light and processing circuitry configured to control light emission of the light-emitting diode, and the processing circuitry is configured to cause the light-emitting diode to emit light such that the light-transmitting portion exhibits color in the state in which the exterior color of the light-transmitting portion is similar to the exterior color of the non-light-transmitting portion or in the state in which the exterior color of the light-transmitting portion is the same as the exterior color of the non-light-transmitting portion.

6 . A method for controlling an exterior structure, the exterior structure including:
a non-light-transmitting portion configured to not transmit an external light; a light-transmitting portion arranged near the non-light-transmitting portion and configured to reflect and transmit the external light; and a light-emitting diode arranged at an inner side of the light-transmitting portion and emitting visible light, wherein light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion includes light reflected by the non-light-transmitting portion, light released outward from the light-transmitting portion includes a combination of light reflected by the light-transmitting portion and light applied to the light-transmitting portion from the inner side and passing through the light-transmitting portion, and the method comprising causing the light-emitting diode to emit light such that a color difference ΔE between the light released outward from the non-light-transmitting portion and the light released outward from the light-transmitting portion is 5 or less.

Assignees

• Toyoda Gosei Kk

Inventors

• Aoyama Shunsuke
• Okumura Koji
• Fukagawa Koji
• Ando Hiroaki
• Yagami Takeshi

Classifications

• B32B2307/416

  Reflective · CPC title

• B32B2307/4026

  within the layer by addition of a colorant, e.g. pigments, dyes · CPC title

• B32B2307/412

  Transparent · CPC title

• B32B2605/00

  Vehicles · CPC title

• F21W2107/10

  for land vehicles · CPC title