Indication display unit for vehicles

• US 5,334,995 A
• Filed: 07/16/1991
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Iino, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tong, Nina
• Application Number:
  US07/730,745
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 340/980, 340/705, 340/525, 340/461
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• 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

The present invention provides an indication display unit for vehicles which comprises an indicating means for displaying vehicle operational information either firmly attached on the dashboard or encased in a case disposed in a dashboard, and a prism having at least three faces mounted on the dashboard in such a manner that a crest portion thereof is directed upwards at which a first and a second faces thereof abutting with each other, the first and second faces being directed, respectively, toward the driver'"'"'s seat and to the windshield, and the third face firmly attached either to the dashboard or to the case such that the indication surface of the indicating means is directed upwards, whereby an indicated image projected from the indicating means enters the prism by way of the third face thereof, the indicated image entered the prism being reflected on the inner surface of the second face so as finally to be visibly observed through the first face.

The above indication display unit enables a driver to visibly observe an indicated image near the driver'"'"'s visual field of the windshield by reflecting the indicated image from the indicating member on a reflecting member mounted on the dashboard, and at the same time provides a stably maintained reflecting surface, an improved observability and also an improved image quality are provided.

Claims

1. An indication display unit for vehicles comprising:

an indicating means for displaying vehicle operational information encased in a case located within the dashboard, said case being abutted to a cam disposed thereunder,

a prism having at least three faces and mounted on the dashboard in such a manner that a crest portion thereof is directed upwards at which a first and a second face thereof abut each other, said first face and second face being directed, respectively, toward the driver'"'"'s seat and to the windshield, and said third face firmly attached to said case such that the indication surface of said indicating means is directed upward, wherein an indicated image projected from said indicating means entering said prism by way of said third face thereof, said indicated image entered said prism being reflected on the inner surface of said second face so as finally to be visibly observed through said first face,

wherein the rearward portion of said case is axially supported and the forward portion thereof is downwardly biased, whereby said prism is rotated by way of the movement of said case which is activated by the rotating movement of said cam, and in that at least one of said first and second faces is formed in a convex shape, wherein in the case that said second face is formed in a convex shape, the indicating surface of said indicating means is located within the focal point of said second face of said prism, and in the case that said first face is formed in a convex shape, an indicated image reflected on the inner surface of said second face is located within the focal point of said first face of said prism.

2. An indication display unit for vehicles as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indication display unit further comprises a corrective prism which contains a concave surface adjusted with said second face and a concave surface which has substantially the same surface shape as said first face.