Head-up display apparatus

• US 8,760,766 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Fujikawa, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US13/593,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20130050834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/563, 353/28
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/02 Diffusing elements; Afocal elements

Abstract

A screen member has a plurality of optical elements, each of which includes a primary curved surface and two secondary curved surface. The primary curved surface diffuses a bundle of rays of light toward a main-viewing range through a display member. Each secondary curved surface diffuses the bundle of rays of light toward a corresponding sub-viewing range through the display member. A radius of curvature of the primary curved surface is larger than a radius of curvature of the secondary curved surface.

Claims

1. A head-up display apparatus that is configured to project a display image onto a projection surface of a display member, which is installed in a vehicle, to enable a viewer located in a vehicle cabin of the vehicle to view a virtual image of the display image, the head-up display apparatus comprising:

a projector that is configured to project a bundle of rays of light, which forms the display image; and

a screen member, onto which the bundle of rays of light is projected from the projector, wherein the screen member diffuses the bundle of rays of light, which is projected from the projector, at a predetermined angle of diffusion directly or indirectly toward the display member to guide the bundle of rays of light to both of a main-viewing range and at least one sub-viewing range, which are preset and in each of which the virtual image is visually recognizable by the viewer, wherein;

the screen member has a plurality of optical elements, each of which includes a primary curved surface and at least one secondary curved surface;

the primary curved surface of each of the plurality of optical elements diffuses the bundle of rays of light toward the main-viewing range through the display member;

the at least one secondary curved surface of each of the plurality of optical elements diffuses the bundle of rays of light toward the at least one sub-viewing range through the display member; and

a radius of curvature of the primary curved surface of each of the plurality of optical elements is larger than a radius of curvature of the at least one secondary curved surface of the optical element.

2. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary curved surface of each of the plurality of optical elements includes two secondary curved surfaces, which are arranged on two opposite sides, respectively, of the primary curved surface of the optical element.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the main-viewing range and the at least one sub-viewing range are arranged one after another in a lateral direction of the vehicle; and

the primary curved surface and the at least one secondary curved surface are arranged one after another in a predetermined direction to correspond with the main-viewing range and the at least one sub-viewing range, respectively.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of optical elements includes at least one connecting surface that is formed as a curved surface and is placed between the primary curves surface and the at least one secondary curved surface of the optical element; and

a radius of curvature of the at least one connecting surface of each of the plurality of optical elements is progressively changed from the radius of curvature of the primary curved surface of the optical element to the radius of curvature of the at least one secondary curved surface of the optical element from one side of the at least one connecting surface, at which the primary curved surface of the optical element is located, to the other side of the at least one connecting surface, at which the at least one secondary curved surface of the optical element is located.

5. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical elements is a plurality of micro-mirrors or a plurality of micro-lenses.