Retracting head up display with fine adjustment of combiner

• US 5,457,575 A
• Filed: 06/20/1994
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Murphy, Morgan D., Groves, Doyle J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US08/262,425
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 359/629, 359/630, 359/634, 359/619, 359/632, 359/633, 353/11, 353/12, 353/13, 353/14
• US Class Current: 359/631
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable 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 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

A combiner is pivotally mounted for movement between an operating position in the line of sight of an operator and a storage position. A sector gear fixed to the combiner engages a slidable rack so that sliding the rack causes pivotal movement of the combiner. A control knob and stem are mounted for rotary movement and translation. A cam rotated by the knob engages followers on the rack to slide the rack upon knob translation or rotation. Knob translation effects movement of the combiner between operating and storage position, and when in operating position, knob rotation effects fine adjustment of the combiner to adjust image position.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having an adjustable head up display including a reflecting element for movement between a stored position out of a line of sight of an operator, and an operating position in the line of sight of the operator, comprising:

display means for projecting an image to the reflecting element when in operating position, thereby presenting the image at a position viewable by the operator;

a hinged support bearing the reflecting element; and

a manually operated mechanism connected to the hinged support for moving the hinged support and the reflecting element between stored and operating positions, the manually operated mechanism including means for fine adjustment of the hinged support and the reflecting element to adjust the image at an imaging position, wherein the manually operated mechanism further includes an input element with a first degree of freedom for translation and a second degree of freedom for rotation with movement of the input element in the first degree of freedom for translation causing movement of the hinged support and reflecting element between stored and operating positions, and movement of the input element in the second degree of freedom for rotation effecting fine adjustment of the reflecting element when in the operating position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the manually operated mechanism comprises:

a slide element having an output portion connected to the hinged support and an input portion connected to a control knob;

the control knob being mounted for translation to move the hinged support and reflecting element between storage and operating positions;

the control knob further being mounted for rotation and including means for adjusting the slide element upon the control knob rotation to adjust an image position.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for adjusting the slide element comprises a cam follower on the slide element and a rotary cam engaging the cam follower and coupled to the control knob for moving the slide upon knob rotation.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the manually operated mechanism comprises:

a gear secured to the hinged support and a slidable rack engaging the gear for moving the hinged support and the reflecting element;

a manually controlled knob coupled to the slidable rack by a rotary cam;

the control knob being mounted for translation to move the hinged support and reflecting element between storage and operating positions; and

the control knob further being mounted for rotation to move the hinged support and reflecting element via rotation of the cam for fine adjustment of the image at an imaging position.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 including lock means for holding the knob against translation when the reflecting element is in an operating position.