Indication display unit for vehicles

• US 4,962,998 A
• Filed: 09/06/1988
• Issued: 10/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Iino, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAFER, RICKY D
• Application Number:
  US07/240,664
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 350/174, 350/605, 340/705, 340/980, 340/97, 340/98, 353/13, 353/14
• US Class Current: 359/630
• 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 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

Abstract

An indication display unit for vehicles which enables a driver to sight an indication image comprises an image projector device including an indicating means, a light source and an optical system for the image projector, a projecting surface means having a concave surface in front of driver'"'"'s seat with a predetermined interval, and means for making an image of indications projected from the image projector at the point of driver'"'"'s eyes.

Claims

1. An indication display unit for a vehicle for enabling a driver to sight an indication image comprising an image projector device having an indicating means, a light source and an optical system;

a projecting surface means having a concave surface along its length for directly reflecting thereon the indication image from the image projector device to the driver and located in front of a driver'"'"'s seat at a predetermined interval; and

control means operably coupled to the image projector device for controlling a projected image of indications projected from the image projector device, said control means controls the projected image of indications dependent on the steering angle of the vehicle.

2. An indication display unit for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means for controlling a projected image of indications includes means for adjusting the projecting angle of the image projector device.

3. An indication display unit for vehicles as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for adjusting the projection angle of the image projector device includes a steering angle sensing means to thereby permit a driver to view the indication image at any eye level or position.

4. An indication display unit for vehicles as claimed in claim 3, wherein the concave curvature whose radius of curvature R is obtained by calculation in the following approximate formula (1):

##EQU3## wherein A stands for the distance from the projecting device to the reflecting point of the projecting surface, and B is the distance from the reflecting point to the driver'"'"'s eyes.