Head-up display cover member and display device

• US 10,391,862 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2015
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Onda, Kazuhisa, Ando, Hiroshi, Takazawa, Takashi, Sakai, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): King, George G
• Application Number:
  US15/535,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 359894
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/23 using reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/693 Cover plate features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/77 Instrument locations other than the dashboard
• 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: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/425 Anti-reflection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• 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

In a head-up display, a cover member includes a first transmissive member and a second transmissive member that transmit a light beam including an image generated by an image generation unit. The first transmissive member is formed to face upward from a front end to a rear end. Likewise, the second transmissive member is formed to face upward from a front end to a rear end. The rear end of the first transmissive member is offset to an upper side from the front end of the second transmissive member.

Claims

1. A head-up display cover member that covers from an upper side an image generation unit for generating an image viewed as a virtual image on a front side of a user, the cover member comprising:

an upper wall;

a first transmissive member that transmits a light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit; and

a second transmissive member that is disposed on a rear side of the first transmissive member and transmits the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit, wherein

the first transmissive member and the second transmissive member are disposed within a same opening formed in the upper wall,

the first transmissive member is shaped to face upward from a front end to a rear end,

the second transmissive member is shaped to face upward from a front end to a rear end, and

an angle defined by a slope at the rear end of the first transmissive member with respect to a front-rear direction is set to be larger than an angle defined by a slope at the front end of the second transmissive member with respect to the front-rear direction, or the rear end of the first transmissive member is offset to an upper side of the front end of the second transmissive member.

2. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the first transmissive member has a curved surface that protrudes downward and curves upward while increasing in slope from the front end toward the rear end, and

the second transmissive member has a curved surface that protrudes downward and curves upward while increasing in slope from the front end toward the rear end.

3. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the first transmissive member is formed in a plate shape that is inclined upward from the front end toward the rear end, and

the second transmissive member is formed in a plate shape that is inclined upward from the front end toward the rear end.

4. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the rear end of the first transmissive member and the rear end of the second transmissive member are substantially aligned with each other in an up-down direction.

5. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the first transmissive member is configured to keep substantially constant an incident angle defined when receiving the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit, and

the second transmissive member is configured to keep substantially constant an incident angle defined when receiving the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit.

6. The head-up display cover member according to claim 5, wherein

the incident angle of the first transmissive member and the incident angle of the second transmissive member are configured to substantially match each other.

7. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the rear end of the first transmissive member is offset to an upper side with respect to the front end of the second transmissive member, and

the rear end of the first transmissive member is coupled with the front end of the second transmissive member through a support member.

8. The head-up display cover member according to claim 7, wherein

the support member comprises a light shielding member.

9. The head-up display cover member according to claim 7, wherein

the support member is shaped in a flat plate shape, and

the support member is disposed in parallel to a direction of the light beam that passes through a position at which the support member is disposed.

10. The head-up display cover member according to claim 7, wherein

the support member is provided with at least a part of optical members configuring the image generation unit.

11. The head-up display cover member according to claim 7, further comprising:

a light emitting portion that is disposed at the second transmissive member side of the support member and emits a light beam different from the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit in a direction of the light beam including the image; and

a light shielding portion that is disposed on the second transmissive member side of the support member substantially in parallel to a direction in which the light beam including the image passes through the second transmissive member.

12. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the image generation unit is configured to generate an image that passes through the first transmissive member and the second transmissive member, the generated image having a contour matching contours of the first transmissive member and the second transmissive member.

13. A display device for a head-up display, comprising:

an image generation unit that generates an image to be displayed on a display unit;

the head-up display cover member according to claim 1; and

an image generation controller that causes the image generation unit to generate an image.

14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein

the image generation controller generates an image such that an area including the rear end of the first transmissive member and the front end of the second transmissive member in the head display cover member is a non-display region of the image to be generated.

15. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the first transmissive member includes a first light reception surface that faces downward,

the second transmissive member includes a second light reception surface that faces downward,

the slope at the rear end of the first transmissive member is a slope of the first light reception surface, and

the slope at the front end of the second transmissive member is a slope of the second light reception surface.

16. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the first transmissive member and the second transmissive member are separately provided cover elements.

17. The head-up display cover member according to claim 1, wherein

the rear end of the first transmissive member is connected to the front end of the second transmissive member through a support member.

18. A head-up display cover member that covers from an upper side an image generation unit for generating an image viewed as a virtual image on a front side of a user, the cover member comprising:

a first transmissive member that transmits a light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit;

a second transmissive member that is disposed on a rear side of the first transmissive member and transmits the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit, wherein

the first transmissive member is shaped to face upward from a front end to a rear end,

the second transmissive member is shaped to face upward from a front end to a rear end,

an angle defined by a tangential plane at the rear end of the first transmissive member with respect to a front-rear direction is set to be larger than an angle defined by a tangential plane at the front end of the second transmissive member with respect to the front-rear direction, or the rear end of the first transmissive member is offset to an upper side of the front end of the second transmissive member,

the first transmissive member has a curved surface that protrudes downward and curves upward while increasing in slope from the front end toward the rear end,

the second transmissive member has a curved surface that protrudes downward and curves upward while increasing in slope from the front end toward the rear end, and

the rear end of the first transmissive member is coupled with the front end of the second transmissive member through a support member;

a light emitting portion that is disposed at the second transmissive member side of the support member and emits a light beam different from the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit in a direction of the light beam including the image; and

a light shielding portion that is disposed on the second transmissive member side of the support member substantially in parallel to a direction in which the light beam including the image passes through the second transmissive member.

19. A head-up display cover member that covers from an upper side an image generation unit for generating an image viewed as a virtual image on a front side of a user, the cover member comprising:

a first transmissive member that transmits a light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit;

a second transmissive member that is disposed on a rear side of the first transmissive member and transmits the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit, wherein

the first transmissive member is shaped to face upward from a front end to a rear end,

the second transmissive member is shaped to face upward from a front end to a rear end,

an angle defined by a slope at the rear end of the first transmissive member with respect to a front-rear direction is set to be larger than an angle defined by a slope at the front end of the second transmissive member with respect to the front-rear direction, or the rear end of the first transmissive member is offset to an upper side of the front end of the second transmissive member,

the first transmissive member is formed in a plate shape that is inclined upward from the front end toward the rear end,

the second transmissive member is formed in a plate shape that is inclined upward from the front end toward the rear end, and

the rear end of the first transmissive member is coupled with the front end of the second transmissive member through a support member;

a light emitting portion that is disposed at the second transmissive member side of the support member and emits a light beam different from the light beam including the image generated by the image generation unit in a direction of the light beam including the image; and

a light shielding portion that is disposed on the second transmissive member side of the support member substantially in parallel to a direction in which the light beam including the image passes through the second transmissive member.