Head-up display apparatus

• US 20110235185A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kanamori, Naohito
• Application Number:
  US13/065,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235185A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/66 Projection screens or combiners
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/223 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0159 with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0181 Adaptation to the pilot/driver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

A head-up display apparatus includes an image output device and an optical system. The optical system includes a first and second optical members. The first optical member receives the image from the image output device. The second optical member receives the image from the first optical member and projects the image to a vehicle windshield. The second optical member has a position changer that rotates the second optical member to change an optical path thereof relative to the windshield to change a projection position of the image on the windshield. The first optical member has an adjuster that changes a position of the first optical member in order to adjust an optical path thereof relative to the second optical member to adjust the optical path of the second optical member.

Claims

1. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

an image output device configured to output an image; and

an optical system that projects the image outputted from the image output device to a windshield of a vehicle in order to display a virtual image within the vehicle, wherein;

the optical system includes;

a first optical member receiving the image outputted from the image output device and reflecting the received image, the first optical member having an optical path, along which the image reflected by the first optical member travels; and

a second optical member receiving the image reflected by the first optical member and projecting the received image to the windshield by reflecting the received image, the second optical member having an optical path, along which the image reflected by the second optical member travels;

the second optical member has a position changer that rotates the second optical member within a predetermined rotation angle in order to change the optical path of the second optical member relative to the windshield such that a projection position of the image reflected by the second optical member on the windshield is changed; and

the first optical member has an adjuster that changes a position of the first optical member in order to adjust the optical path of the first optical member relative to the second optical member such that the optical path of the second optical member relative to the windshield is adjusted.

2. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when the position changer fixes the second optical member at a certain position within the predetermined rotation angle, the adjuster is capable of changing the position of the first optical member; and

when the adjuster fixes the position of the first optical member, the position changer is capable of rotating the second optical member.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when the position changer rotates the second optical member, the adjuster changes the position of the first optical member synchronously with the rotation of the second optical member.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the position changer has an operation switch operated by an occupant and generating a signal in accordance with an operation by the occupant; and

the position changer rotates the second optical member in a direction in accordance with the signal generated by the operation switch.

5. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first optical member has two rotation axes, about each of which the first optical member is rotatable; and

the adjuster causes the first optical member to rotate about at least one of the two rotation axes in order to change the position of the first optical member.

6. The according to claim 1 head-up display apparatus, wherein the first optical member is a plane mirror.