Display device for motor vehicle

• US 20020183921A1
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Tetsuya, Furuya, Yoshiyuki, Amari, Takeyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,674,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• 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

Abstract

A display device for a motor vehicle includes an indicator 3 for providing a displayed image, arranged internally in the vehicle; a combiner 5 for reflecting image light of the displayed image toward an eye point I of a driver of the vehicle, a virtual image S of the displayed image which can be visually recognized from the eye point being displayed on the combiner 5; and meter units 9, 9 for displaying a status of the vehicle as a real image, the meter units being located between the combiner and the eye point at a position outside an optical path of the image light of the displayed image. The combiner 5 has a contour which can be visually recognized from the eye point and nearly surrounds the virtual image and a real image of the meter units 9, 9. In such a configuration, a display with a sense of unity between a real image and a virtual image can be realized while avoiding an increase of a dashboard in size and complication thereof in structure.

Claims

1. A display device for a motor vehicle comprising:

a first light-emitting display source for providing a displayed image, arranged internally in the motor vehicle;

a combiner for reflecting image light of said first displayed image toward an eye point of a driver of the vehicle, a virtual image of said first displayed image which can be visually recognized from the eye point being displayed on the combiner; and

a meter unit for displaying a status of the vehicle as a real image, said meter unit being located between said combiner and said eye point at a position outside an optical path of the image light of said first displayed image, wherein

said combiner has a contour which can be visually recognized from said eye point and nearly surrounds said virtual image and the real image of said meter unit.

2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of meter units are provided apart from one another in a vehicle width direction, and a portion of said combiner which is located between the adjacent meter units reflects the image light of said first displayed image toward the eye point.

3. A display device according to claim 1, wherein a steering wheel is arranged at a position nearer than said combiner to the eye point, and said combiner has an upper edge in a positive arc whose curvature differs according to a parallax corresponding to a location difference between said combiner and said steering wheel from said eye point.

4. A display device according to claim 1, wherein

said combiner is made of a material capable of transmitting light,

a second light-emitting display source for providing a second displayed image representative of another status of the vehicle is arranged in front of said combiner in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle at a position opposite to said eye point with respect to said combiner, said second light-emitting display source providing said second displayed image so that its image light passes a prescribed region of said combiner and reaches said eye point without being intercepted by said meter unit, and

said combiner is located to reflect the image light of said second displayed image toward said eye point in a region exclusive of said prescribed region of said combiner.

5. A display device according to claim 4, wherein the first displayed image displayed by the first light-emitting display source is displayed using one of P-polarized light and S-polarized light, said combiner is provided with a first polarizing plate for intercepting said one polarized light, and a second polarizing plate for intercepting the remaining polarized light is provided between said first light-emitting display source and said combiner.

6. A display device according to claim 5, wherein said second polarizing plate has a surface facing said combiner which is subjected to reflection inhibiting processing whereby reflection of light applied to the surface toward said combiner is inhibited.