Indication display unit for vehicles

• US 5,229,755 A
• Filed: 05/13/1992
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Kunimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): FATAHI YAR, MAHMOUD
• Application Number:
  US07/884,292
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 340/705, 340/980, 353/13, 353/14, 358/103, 358/104, 358/174, 358/250, 358/93, 359/13, 359/630, 359/632
• US Class Current: 345/8
• 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

Various indication display units, for vehicles provided with a head-up display including an indication projector with a display device at the ceiling of a vehicle and a reflecting device forwardly of a driver seat, have been introduced so far due to the fact that there are increasing requirements for space for the installation of many kinds of indicators in vehicles. The problem remains that the displayed image on the reflecting device can hardly be seen on the indication display unit of the conventional type when external strong rays of light are radiated to the above reflecting surface from outside the vehicle through the windshield, and a part of the ceiling reflected on the reflecting device together with the indicating image projected from the projector also causes a bad effect to the displayed image when the vehicle is illuminated by another vehicle following there behind. The indication display unit according to the present invention provides a reflected image of good quality excluding the above bad effects on the displayed image to be reflected on the reflecting device caused by external light radiated from outside the vehicle, by forming the projector more profoundly than the ceiling surface.

Claims

1. An indication display unit for vehicles enabling a driver to sight an indicating image comprising:

an image projector means including an indicating means and a display device, said image projector means is arranged completely inside a recessed hole within a ceiling of a vehicle, an opening of said recessed hole, into which said image projector means is located, is smaller in size than an inner space of the recessed portion hole, said image projector means is constructed in such a way that a part of said ceiling is downwardly projecting behind said opening but near said image projector means; and

a reflecting means located forwardly of a driver seat to reflect the indicating image, said indicating image is directly projected from said image projector means to said reflecting means.

2. An indication display device for vehicles as claimed in claim 1, wherein edges of said opening are extended to two lines formed by connecting both ends of a surface of said image projector means and said reflecting means, and simultaneously, each surfaces of said inner space thereof is located as far as possible from each of said lines respectively.

3. An indication display device for vehicles as claimed in claim 1, wherein height and width of said image projector means are predetermined such that a ceiling part is not reflected on said reflecting means from a position of a driver'"'"'s eyes.

4. An indication display device for vehicles as claimed in claim 3, wherein said downwardly projecting ceiling can be a ceiling storage unit storing a room light, and an air cleaner.

5. An indication display unit for vehicles accordingg to claim 1 wherein said recessed hole having side surfaces which do not reflect light toward said reflecting means.

6. An indication display unit for vehicles according to claim 4 wherein said opening is mounted close to a forward edge of said ceiling storage unit so that said image projecting means is shaded.