Displaying apparatus for a vehicle having a projector on the ceiling of the vehicle

• US 5,056,890 A
• Filed: 05/23/1989
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Iino, Tadashi, Suzuki, Yoshiyuki, Aoki, Kunimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US07/356,626
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 350/174, 350/601, 350/636, 340/705, 248/487
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

A displaying apparatus for a vehicle to project a pattern to be displayed of an indicator on a half mirror disposed in front of a driver'"'"'s seat such that a driver of the vehicle sees the pattern overlapping views outside a front windshield of the vehicle. The displaying apparatus comprises a projector for projecting the pattern. The projector includes the indicator, etc., and is received within a case which is provided to a ceiling in the interior of the vehicle to accommodate a room lamp. The half mirror is fitted to a fitting device installed on a dashboard of the vehicle such that an angle of the half mirror is freely set. The half mirror is set on the dashboard at an angle in a range between 100 and 120 deg. the angle being formed toward the front windshield from a horizontal line (0 deg) extending to the driver.

Claims

1. A displaying apparatus for a vehicle to display a pattern at a position in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in an interior of the vehicle by projecting the pattern on the position such that the pattern is visibly overlapped with views outside a front windshield of the vehicle, comprising:

(a) a reflector member installed on a dashboard in front of the driver'"'"'s seat; and

(b) a projector for projecting the pattern on said reflector member,

(c) said projector being provided to a ceiling in the interior of the vehicle;

wherein

a room lamp is provided to the ceiling in the interior of the vehicle to light up the interior, said projector being disposed within a case for receiving said room lamp.

2. The displaying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reflector member comprises a half mirror.

3. A displaying apparatus for a vehicle to display a pattern at a position in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in an interior of the vehicle by projecting the pattern on the position such that the pattern is visibly overlapped with views outside a front windshield of the vehicle, comprising:

(a) a reflector member installed on a dashboard in front of the driver'"'"'s seat; and

(b) a projector for projecting the pattern on said reflector member,

(c) said projector being provided to a ceiling in the interior of the vehicle, further comprising;

a fitting device for slidably fitting said reflector member to the dashboard;

wherein said fitting device for fitting said reflector member comprises a vertical supporting shaft fixed to the dashboard, a horizontal shaft member having a hole through which the horizontal shaft member is rotatably engaged to the vertical supporting shaft, a reflector member fitting member rotatably and axially slidably engaged to the horizontal shaft member, a regulating member axially slidably engaged to the horizontal shaft member between the vertical supporting shaft and the reflector member fitting member, and a thumb nut fastened to a threaded portion provided at an end of the horizontal shaft member, the regulating member and the reflector member fitting member being held and fixed between the vertical supporting shaft and the thumb nut by tightening the thumb nut.

4. A displaying apparatus for a vehicle to display a pattern at a position in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in an interior of the vehicle by projecting the pattern on the position such that the pattern is visibly overlapped with views outside a front windshield of the vehicle, comprising;

(a) a reflector member installed on a dashboard in front of the driver'"'"'s seat;

(b) a projector arranged to a ceiling in the interior of the vehicle to project the pattern on said reflector member; and

(c) a fitting device for fitting said reflector member to the dashboard such that an angle of said reflector member is freely set, (d) said reflector member being set on the dashboard at an angle in a range of 100 of 120 deg with respect to a horizontal reference plane defining 0 deg on the driver'"'"'s seat side;

further including

a room lamp provided to the ceiling in the interior of the vehicle to light up the interior, said projector being accommodated within a case for receiving said room lamp.

5. The displaying apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reflector member comprises a half mirror.

6. In a displaying apparatus for a vehicle to display a pattern on a reflector member positioned in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in the interior of said vehicle by projecting the pattern on the reflector member such that the pattern is visible overlapped with views outside a front windshield of the vehicle, a fitting device for slidably fitting the reflector member at a position in front of the driver'"'"'s seat, comprising:

a vertical supporting shaft fixed at the position in front of the driver'"'"'s seat in the interior of the vehicle;

a horizontal shaft member having a hole through which said horizontal shaft member is rotatably engaged to said vertical supporting shaft;

a reflector member fitting member rotatably and axially slidably engaged to said horizontal shaft member;

a regulating member axially slidably engaged to said horizontal shaft member between said vertical supporting shaft and said reflector member fitting member; and

a thumb nut fastened to a threaded portion provided at an end of said horizontal shaft member,

said regulating member and said reflector member fitting member being held and fixed between said vertical supporting shaft and said thumb nut by tightening said thumb nut.