Headup display apparatus

• US 5,497,170 A
• Filed: 12/05/1994
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Aritake, Hirokazu, Fujiwara, Toshiaki, Yamagishi, Fumio, Tomita, Junji, Takoa, Koichi, Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi, Suzuki, Masao, Kato, Masayuki, Nakashima, Masato, Sugita, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOON, GIN F
• Application Number:
  US08/353,304
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 345/10, 359/13, 359/632, 359/630, 353/13, 353/14, 340/980
• US Class Current: 345/9
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0107 with optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0109 comprising details concerning the making of holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0145 creating an intermediate image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0194 with combiner of laminated type, for optical or mechanical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/28 Interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

A headup display apparatus consists of a projection optical system unit installed in the dashboard of a car and a reflection member on the windshield. The projection optical system unit contains an indicator and an off-axis reflective hologram which reflects display light of the indicator toward the windshield, which in turn reflects it toward the viewing point of a driver. As a result, the display is seen superimposed on the exterior view. When external light as from the sun enters the projection optical system unit traveling in a direction reverse to the path of the display light, the off-axis reflective hologram reflects the incident external light toward a direction different from that of the outgoing display light to minimize an abnormal illumination of the indicator surface which would otherwise render the display unrecognizable. Behind the hologram is installed a heat dissipating member that receives infrared rays that have transmitted the hologram in order to dissipate heat.

Claims

1. A headup display apparatus comprising:

an illuminating type indicator for emitting display light in a visible wavelength range;

a single off-axis reflective hologram for reflecting the display light from the indicator in a predetermined direction, said off-axis reflective hologram being fixed and non-pivoting and having a reflection surface that reflects incident external light coming in a direction reverse to the path of the display light toward a direction different from that of the visible display light of the indicator; and

a reflection member arranged in a viewing field of a driver, said reflection member having an appropriate reflection factor, said reflection member reflecting the real display image from the off-axis reflective hologram toward the eye position of the driver so that a virtual image of the display formed by the display light reflected by the reflection member is superimposed on an exterior view seen through the reflection member, wherein said off-axis reflective hologram is disposed in close proximity to said illumination type indicator to eliminate chromatic aberration.

4. A headup display apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising an enlargement optical system installed between said indicator and said reflection member.

5. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said enlargement optical system is a single concave mirror.

6. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said enlargement optical system comprises two concave mirrors combined.

7. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said enlargement optical system comprises a lens system.

8. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said enlargement optical system comprises at least one lens system and at least one concave mirror.

9. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat dissipating member is disposed behind and separate from said off-axis reflective hologram to receive infrared rays that have passed through said off-axis reflective hologram.

10. A headup display apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said reflection member is a windshield of a vehicle.

11. A headup display apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said reflection member is a reflection treatment member formed on the windshield of a vehicle to increase the reflection factor of the windshield.

12. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said reflection treatment member is a metal thin film.

13. A headup display apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said reflection treatment member is a dielectric multi-layer film.

14. A headup display apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said reflection treatment member is a regular reflective hologram film.

15. A headup display apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said reflection member is a combiner disposed on the driver side of, but not on, the windshield of the vehicle.

16. A headup display apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein a virtual image of the display is formed to the left and in front of the driver in the case of a vehicle with a right-hand side steering wheel, and is formed to the right and in front of the driver in the case of a vehicle with a left-hand side steering wheel, and a horizontal line of the virtual image as seen by the driver is almost perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle and also virtually parallel with a horizontal plane of the vehicle.

2. A headup display apparatus comprising:

an illuminating type indicator for emitting display light in a visible wavelength range;

a single off-axis reflective hologram for reflecting the display light from the indicator in a predetermined direction, said off-axis reflective hologram being fixed and non-pivoting and having a reflection surface that reflects incident external light coming in a direction reverse to the path of the display light toward a direction different from that of the visible display light of the indicator;

an optical system for forming a real image of the indicator on the off-axis reflective hologram to eliminate chromatic aberration; and

a reflection member arranged in a viewing field of a driver, said reflection member having an appropriate reflection factor, said reflection member reflecting the display light from the off-axis reflective hologram toward the eye position of the driver so that a virtual image of the display formed by the display light reflected by the reflection member is superimposed on an exterior view seen through the reflection member.

3. A headup display apparatus comprising:

an illuminating type indicator for emitting display light in a visible wavelength range;

a single prism having a reflection film on a surface thereof on the opposite side of the indicator, said reflection film having a wavelength selectivity suitable for reflecting only the display light, another surface of said prism on the side of the indicator is formed as a surface for reflecting the display light from the indicator in a predetermined direction, said reflection surface of the prism being fixed and non-pivoting and reflecting incident external light coming in a direction reverse to the path of the display light toward a direction different from that of the visible display light of the indicator; and

a reflection member arranged in a viewing field of a driver, said reflection member having an appropriate reflection factor, said reflection member reflecting the display light from the prism toward the eye position of the driver so that a virtual image of the display formed by the display light reflected by the reflection member is superimposed on an exterior view seen through the reflection member.

17. A headup display apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein a heat dissipating member is disposed behind and separate from said prism to receive infrared rays that have passed through said prism.