Electro-optic assembly

• US 10,649,299 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2018
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Cammenga, David J., Derry, Christopher M., Bosma, Bradley A., Neuman, George A., Saenger Nayver, Mario F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Jack
• Application Number:
  US16/104,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20190011796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/11 Anti-reflection coatings
• 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: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices

Abstract

An electro-optic assembly for use in a vehicle having a windshield is provided and includes a first arcuate substrate having a first surface with an anti-reflective coating and a second surface. A second arcuate substrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface with an anti-reflective coating. The first and second substrates are positioned such that the second and third surfaces are at least 0.1 mm apart. A seal is disposed between the first and second substrates and located substantially about a periphery of the electro-optic assembly. An electro-optic medium is positioned in a cavity defined by the first substrate, the second substrate, and the seal, the electro-optic medium including a refractive index greater than 1.2. The second surface is configured to receive and reflect incident light projected from a projector, thereby displaying information that appears to be displayed forward of the windshield.

Claims

1. A heads up display system of a vehicle, comprising:

a projector at least partially concealed in a dash of said vehicle; and

an electro-optic assembly comprising;

a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface coated with an anti-reflective coating, including less than 1% reflectance, and the second surface coated with a reflective coating;

a second substrate positioned adjacent the first substrate and having a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface coated with a light transmissive and conductive coating, and the fourth surface coated with an anti-reflective coating; and

an electro-optic medium positioned in a cavity defined between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein a light transmittance of the electro-optic assembly is controlled by varying a potential between the coatings on the second and third surfaces, wherein the electro-optic assembly is configured to reflect incident light projected from the projector in order to display vehicle-related information.

2. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the electro-optic assembly has a light reflectance of between approximately 20% and 30% and the light transmittance of the electro-optic assembly ranges from approximately 35% to less than 5% when viewed from the first surface.

3. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the electro-optic assembly includes a spectral filter disposed about a periphery of the electro-optic assembly.

4. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the electro-optic assembly includes a ground edge, and wherein the ground edge includes a radius of 2.5 mm or greater.

5. The heads up display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first contact in electrical communication with the second surface and a second contact in electrical communication with the third surface, wherein each of the first and second contacts are disposed at a bottom portion of the electro-optic assembly.

6. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the electro-optic medium includes a refractive index greater than 1.4.

7. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the coatings on the second and third surfaces include indium tin oxide with a sheet resistance of approximately 2 ohms/sq to 15 ohms/sq.

8. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the projector is disposed in the dash of said vehicle at a position below the electro-optic assembly, and wherein an angle defined by the light projected from the projector and the first surface of the first substrate is approximately no more than 25 degrees.

9. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second substrates are arcuate and have a spherical radius of at least approximately 500 mm.

10. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates are positioned such that the second and third surfaces are at least 0.1 mm apart.

11. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the electro-optic assembly includes a light reflectance of between approximately 20% and 30%.

12. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the light transmittance of the electro-optic assembly ranges from approximately 35% to less than 5% when viewed from the first surface.

13. The heads up display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a light transmittance of approximately 15-60% in a clear state and approximately 0-10% in a fully darkened state.

14. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are asymmetric.

15. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein approximately 25% of the projected light is reflected back in a direction of a viewer.

16. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein the electro-optic assembly includes a peripheral concealing feature disposed about a periphery of the electro-optic assembly.

17. The heads up display system of claim 16, wherein the peripheral concealing feature comprises a frosted band having a width of approximately 4 mm.

18. The heads up display system of claim 1, wherein an angle defined by the light projected from the projector and a bottom portion of the electro-optic assembly is approximately 70 degrees or more.