Head-up display device

• US 8,773,329 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, DUC Q
• Application Number:
  US12/892,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20110074657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/1.3, 345/2.1, 345/2.2
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet

Abstract

A head-up display device placed on an upper surface of a dashboard, includes: an object of view arranged in an inside space of the dashboard; an imaging optical system of real specular image for defining a space where a viewer exists and the inside space of the dashboard, the imaging optical system of real specular image including a semitransparent substrate with a plane of symmetry, the imaging optical system of real specular image forming a real image of the object of view in the space of the viewer with light passing through the substrate; and a reflective screen arranged in the space of the viewer, the reflective screen reflecting light beams of the real image of the object of view supplied from the imaging optical system of real specular image to guide the reflected light beams to the viewer, while allowing formation of an image to be seen by the viewer.

Claims

1. A head-up display device placed on an upper surface of a dashboard, comprising:

an object of view arranged in an inside space of the dashboard;

an imaging optical system of real specular image for defining a space where a viewer exists and the inside space of the dashboard, the imaging optical system of real specular image including a semitransparent substrate with a plane of symmetry, the imaging optical system of real specular image forming a real image of the object of view in the space of the viewer with light passing through the substrate;

a reflective screen arranged in the space of the viewer, the reflective screen reflecting light beams of the real image of the object of view supplied from the imaging optical system of real specular image to guide the reflected light beams to the viewer, while allowing formation of an image to be seen by the viewer;

a mechanism for changing a position of the object of view with respect to the imaging optical system of real specular image; and

a mechanism for moving the object of view along a line connecting the object of view and the imaging optical system of real specular image, wherein a position of the object of view is changed in such a manner that there are at least two situations selected from situations consists of where the image to be seen is arranged to cross the reflective screen, where the image to be seen is a virtual image in the reflective screen, and where the image to be seen is a real image out of the reflective screen.

2. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the reflective screen is a windshield.

3. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the reflective screen is adhered to a surface of a windshield.

4. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging optical system of real specular image is an optical element functioning as a dihedral corner reflector.

5. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging optical system of real specular image is formed by a combination of a half mirror and a retroreflector array.

6. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed to be a united body with the dashboard.

7. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the substrate is colored with a same color of the dashboard.

8. A head-up display device placed on an upper surface of a dashboard, comprising:

an object of view arranged in an inside space of the dashboard;

an imaging optical system of real specular image for defining a space where a viewer exists and the inside space of the dashboard, the imaging optical system of real specular image including a semitransparent substrate with a plane of symmetry, the imaging optical system of real specular image forming a real image of the object of view in the space of the viewer with light passing through the substrate, wherein the imaging optical system of real specular image is an optical element functioning as a dihedral corner reflector; and

a reflective screen arranged in the space of the viewer, the reflective screen reflecting light beams of the real image of the object of view supplied from the imaging optical system of real specular image to guide the reflected light beams to the viewer, while allowing formation of an image to be seen by the viewer.

9. The head-up display device according to claim 8, wherein the reflective screen is a windshield.

10. The head-up display device according to claim 8, wherein the reflective screen is adhered to a surface of a windshield.

11. The head-up display device according to claim 8, wherein the substrate is formed to be a united body with the dashboard.

12. The head-up display device according to claim 8, wherein a surface of the substrate is colored with a same color of the dashboard.

13. A head-up display device placed on an upper surface of a dashboard, comprising:

an object of view arranged in an inside space of the dashboard;

an imaging optical system of real specular image for defining a space where a viewer exists and the inside space of the dashboard, the imaging optical system of real specular image including a semitransparent substrate with a plane of symmetry, the imaging optical system of real specular image forming a real image of the object of view in the space of the viewer with light passing through the substrate, wherein the imaging optical system of real specular image is formed by a combination of a half mirror and a retroreflector array; and

a reflective screen arranged in the space of the viewer, the reflective screen reflecting light beams of the real image of the object of view supplied from the imaging optical system of real specular image to guide the reflected light beams to the viewer, while allowing formation of an image to be seen by the viewer.

14. The head-up display device according to claim 13, wherein the reflective screen is a windshield.

15. The head-up display device according to claim 13, wherein the reflective screen is adhered to a surface of a windshield.

16. The head-up display device according to claim 13, wherein the substrate is formed to be a united body with the dashboard.

17. The head-up display device according to claim 13, wherein a surface of the substrate is colored with a same color of the dashboard.