Head-up display apparatus

• US 10,234,685 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Inventors: Yamasaki, Naomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US15/505,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20170269362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0145 creating an intermediate image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

To downsize a head-up display apparatus, a recess is provided by cutting a part of the reflection mirror having a quadrilateral shape as a basic shape. A head-up display apparatus includes, in a casing thereof, an image display and an optical path forming member. The optical path forming member includes at least a reflection mirror that reflects the image. The reflection mirror has a quadrilateral shape as a basic shape. The reflection mirror having the quadrilateral shape as the basic shape includes a recess in at least one of four corners. The reflection mirror having the quadrilateral shape as the basic shape is disposed in the casing to be inclined relative to a horizontal direction. The recess is provided in at least one of a top corner and a bottom corner which are diagonally placed in the inclined reflection mirror.

Claims

1. A head-up display apparatus comprising in a casing thereof:

an image display that displays an image; and

an optical path forming member that guides to a cabin the image displayed on the image display,

wherein the optical path forming member comprises at least a reflection mirror that reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the head-up display apparatus displays the image to be superimposed on an external landscape seen through a windshield of a vehicle, wherein

the reflection mirror has a quadrilateral shape as a basic shape,

the reflection mirror having the quadrilateral shape as the basic shape comprises a recess in at least one of four corners,

the reflection mirror having the quadrilateral shape as the basic shape is disposed in the casing to be inclined relative to a horizontal direction, and

the recess is provided in at least one of a top corner and a bottom corner which are diagonally placed in the inclined reflection mirror.

2. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a cutting line by a straight line or a smooth curved line connecting adjacent sides of the reflection mirror having the quadrilateral shape as the basic shape.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recess is horizontally formed in the inclined reflection mirror.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recess is horizontally formed in the inclined reflection mirror.

5. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recess is provided in the corner of the reflection mirror corresponding to a position in the image which is less frequently used.

6. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

an image display that displays an image;

a reflection mirror that reflects the image displayed on the image display to project the image onto a windshield of a vehicle; and

a casing in which the reflection mirror is housed,

wherein

the reflection mirror has a quadrilateral shape as a basic shape, and a curved surface,

the reflection mirror having the quadrilateral shape as the basic shape comprises, in at least one of four corners, a recess, and

the reflection mirror is disposed inside the casing such that the recess is located in a lower portion of the reflection mirror.

9. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the recess is provided at least in a corner of the reflection mirror corresponding to a position of a low usage frequency in the image.

10. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the reflection mirror is a front reflection mirror that firstly reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the casing includes inside thereof a back reflection mirror that reflects the image reflected by the front reflection mirror toward the windshield.

11. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the casing includes inside thereof a front reflection mirror that firstly reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the reflection mirror is a back reflection mirror that reflects the image reflected by the reflection mirror toward the windshield.

12. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the recess of the reflection mirror is formed in a lower-right corner, a lower-left corner, an upper-left corner in a right hand drive vehicle, or an upper-right corner in a left hand drive vehicle, and has a size by which a part of the image of the image display is lost.

13. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the recess of the reflection mirror is formed in a lower-right corner, a lower-left corner, an upper-left corner in a right hand drive vehicle, or an upper-right corner in a left hand drive vehicle, and has a size by which a part of the image of the image display is lost.

7. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

an image display that displays an image;

a reflection mirror that reflects the image displayed on the image display to project the image onto a windshield of a vehicle; and

a casing in which the reflection mirror is housed,

wherein

the reflection mirror has a polygonal shape including a first long side that is located in an upper portion of the reflection mirror, and inclines upward, a second long side that is located in a lower portion of the reflection mirror, short sides that are provided between the first long side and the second long side, and a recess that is provided between the short side and an upper end of the first long side to lower a height of the reflection mirror, and

the reflection mirror is disposed inside the casing.

14. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the recess is provided at least in a corner of the reflection mirror corresponding to a position of a low usage frequency in the image.

15. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the reflection mirror is a front reflection mirror that firstly reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the casing includes inside thereof a back reflection mirror that reflects the image reflected by the front reflection mirror toward the windshield.

16. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the casing includes inside thereof a front reflection mirror that firstly reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the reflection mirror is a back reflection mirror that reflects the image reflected by the reflection mirror toward the windshield.

17. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the recess of the reflection mirror is formed in a lower-right corner, a lower-left corner, an upper-left corner in a right hand drive vehicle, or an upper-right corner in a left hand drive vehicle, and has a size by which a part of the image of the image display is lost.

18. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the recess of the reflection mirror is formed in a lower-right corner, a lower-left corner, an upper-left corner in a right hand drive vehicle, or an upper-right corner in a left hand drive vehicle, and has a size by which a part of the image of the image display is lost.

8. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

an image display that displays an image;

a reflection mirror that reflects the image displayed on the image display to project the image onto a windshield of a vehicle; and

a casing in which the reflection mirror is housed,

wherein

the reflection mirror has a polygonal shape including a first long side that is located in an upper portion of the reflection mirror, a second long side that is located in a lower portion of the reflection mirror, and inclines downward, short sides that are provided between the first long side and the second long side, and a recess that is provided between the short side and a lower end of the second long side to lower a height of the reflection mirror, and

the reflection mirror is disposed inside the casing.

19. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the recess is provided at least in a corner of the reflection mirror corresponding to a position of a low usage frequency in the image.

20. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the reflection mirror is a front reflection mirror that firstly reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the casing includes inside thereof a back reflection mirror that reflects the image reflected by the front reflection mirror toward the windshield.

21. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the casing includes inside thereof a front reflection mirror that firstly reflects the image displayed on the image display, and

the reflection mirror is a back reflection mirror that reflects the image reflected by the reflection mirror toward the windshield.

22. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

the recess of the reflection mirror is formed in a lower-right corner, a lower-left corner, an upper-left corner in a right hand drive vehicle, or an upper-right corner in a left hand drive vehicle, and has a size by which a part of the image of the image display is lost.

23. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

the recess of the reflection mirror is formed in a lower-right corner, a lower-left corner, an upper-left corner in a right hand drive vehicle, or an upper-right corner in a left hand drive vehicle, and has a size by which a part of the image of the image display is lost.