Viewing device comprising a combiner with variable reflection factor

• US 9,423,618 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Petitdemange, Arnaud, Pelletier, Sebastien, Dominici, Johanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Rude, Timothy L
• Application Number:
  US14/664,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/013 comprising a combiner of particular shape, e.g. curvature
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0194 with combiner of laminated type, for optical or mechanical aspects
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133504 Diffusing, scattering, diffracting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133606
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/01 transmissive
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/03 scattering

Abstract

The general field of the invention is that of optical viewing systems comprising a display and a tilted optical plate arranged above this display and forming therewith substantially a dihedron. The system according to the invention comprises means for adjusting the reflection coefficient of the said tilted optical plate along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the dihedron and up to a variable height so as to ensure the total reflection of a first part of the image displayed by the display and the partial reflection of a second part of the image displayed by the display, complementary to the first part. The insertion of optical components between the display and the optical plate makes it possible to modify the distance of the display image reflected by the optical plate.

Claims

1. Optical viewing system comprising a display and a tilted optical plate arranged above this display and forming therewith substantially a dihedron, in which the plate comprises a pluralities of zones, the system comprising means for adjusting the reflection coefficient of each zone so as to ensure the total reflection of a first part of the image displayed by the display and the partial reflection of a second part of the image displayed by the display, complementary to the first part, the zones being disposed in such a way that, along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the dihedron and up to a continuously variable height, the optical plate is reflecting and beyond the said height, the optical plate is partially reflecting.

2. Optical viewing system according to claim 1, in which the optical plate is a plate with plane and parallel faces.

3. Optical viewing system according to claim 1, in which the optical plate is a curved plate or a plate comprising a curved part.

4. Optical viewing system according to claim 2, in which the system comprises an optical component operating by transmission and having a determined optical power, all or part of the said component being arranged above the said display, between the display and the optical plate.

5. Optical viewing system according to claim 4, in which the optical power of the optical component is fixed.

6. Optical viewing system according to claim 4, in which the optical power of the optical component is variable, the said optical power being near-zero on the side of the axis of the dihedron.

7. Optical viewing system according to claim 4, in which the mean optical axis of the optical component is tilted with respect to the normal to the display.

8. Optical viewing system according to claim 1, in which the plate comprises a deposition of poly-dispersed liquid crystal whose reflection factor is variable as a function of an applied voltage.

9. Optical viewing system according to claim 1, in which the display is a liquid-crystal display.