Head-up display with two fresnel lenses

• US 5,013,135 A
• Filed: 03/20/1990
• Issued: 05/07/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited 1006 OAZA Kadoma-Shi Osaka Japan
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Souhei
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US07/496,297
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 350/174, 350/276 R, 350/452, 340/705, 340/980
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876

Abstract

A head up display is provided for projecting as a virtual image the information from control meters in an airplane or an automobile in the front visual field. The display includes a light source disposed at the bottom of a casing, an LCD shutter disposed just above the light source, a first Fresnel lens disposed on the upper surface of the casing for the purpose of enlarging information on the LCD shutter, and a combiner disposed at an adjustable angle on the upper surface of the casing for the purpose of producing a virtual image of the information on the LCD shutter. The first Fresnel lens is disposed on the same face as that of the dashboard, and another Fresnel lens is provided on the front side of the casing so that the meter can be directly viewed through the casing.

Claims

1. A head up display system having an HUD optical axis, said head up display for installation in or adjacent to a dashboard of a vehicle and comprising:

a first Fresnel lens adapted to be provided on an upper plate of the dashboard;

a liquid crystal display positioned below and spaced apart from said first Fresnel lens, said liquid crystal display and said first Fresnel lens defining a space therebetween;

instrument meter clusters disposed in said space;

a first light source provided below said liquid crystal display;

a combiner adapted to be positioned above the upper plate of the dashboard and having a reflecting optical axis, for reflecting a virtual image of said liquid crystal display which is transmitted by said first Fresnel lens through said space so as to cause said virtual image of said liquid crystal display to be visible to a driver;

a second light source provided behind said instrument meter clusters; and

a second Fresnel lens disposed in said space in front of said instrument cluster meters so as to cause said virtual image of said instrument meter clusters to be visible to the driver.

2. A head up display system according to claim 1, wherein said first light source comprises a lamp unit having two fluorescent lamps and said head up display system further comprises a means for cooling said fluorescent lamps and said liquid crystal display.

3. A head up display system according to claim 1, wherein said combiner has a predetermined curvature adapted to conform to a curvature of a front glass of the vehicle and to be incorporated integrally with the front glass, and a visual field selection filter is disposed so as to be optically superimposed on said first Fresnel lens, such that light leaking from said instrument meter clusters which passes through said Fresnel lens to irradiate said front glass is prevented from entering an eye of the driver.

4. A head up display system according to claim 1, wherein said combiner is adapted to be disposed inside the front glass and said head up display system further comprises a warning lamp disposed at a position which is below the position of said combiner disposed inside the front glass and which can be recognized by said operator, whereby said warning lamp can be seen while being superimposed on said virtual image of said liquid crystal display.

5. A head up display system according to claim 3, wherein said first Fresnel lens is curved in order to correct distortion of said virtual image caused by said curvature of said combiner.

6. A head up display system according to claim 5, wherein said first Fresnel lens is held between rigid bodies for preventing deformation of said first Fresnel lens.

7. A head up display system according to claim 3, further comprising means for correcting said HUD optical axis, said correction means being disposed in optical combination with said first Fresnel lens.

8. A head up display system having an HUD optical axis, said head up display system for installation in or adjacent to a dashboard of a vehicle and comprising:

a casing;

a first Fresnel lens mounted on said casing such that when said casing is mounted on the vehicle, said first Fresnel lens is disposed substantially parallel to an upper plate of the dashboard;

a liquid crystal display positioned below and spaced apart from said first Fresnel lens within said casing, said liquid crystal display and said first Fresnel lens defining a space therebetween;

instrument meter clusters disposed in said space;

a first light source provided below said liquid crystal display within said casing;

a combiner positioned above said first Fresnel lens and having a reflecting optical axis, for reflecting a virtual image of said liquid crystal display which is transmitted by said first Fresnel lens through said space so as to cause said virtual image of said liquid crystal display to be visible to a driver;

a second light source provided behind said instrument meter clusters within said casing; and

a second Fresnel lens disposed within said casing in said space in front of said instrument meter clusters so as to cause a virtual image of said instrument meter clusters to be visible to the driver.

9. A head up display system according to claim 8, wherein said first light source comprises a lamp unit having two fluorescent lamps and said head up display system further comprises a means supported by said casing for cooling said fluorescent lamps and said liquid crystal display.

10. A head up display system according to claim 8, wherein said combiner has a predetermined curvature adapted to conform to a curvature of a front glass of the vehicle and to be incorporated integrally with the front glass, and a visual field selection filter is disposed so as to be optically superimposed on said first Fresnel lens, such that light leaking from said meters which passes through said Fresnel lens to irradiate said front glass is prevented from entering an eye of the driver.

11. A head up display system according to claim 8, wherein said combiner is adapted to be disposed inside the front glass and said head up display system further comprises a warning lamp disposed at a position which is below the position of said combiner disposed inside the front glass and which can be recognized by said operator, whereby said warning lamp can be seen while being superimposed on said virtual image of said liquid crystal display.

12. A head up display system according to claim 10, wherein said first Fresnel lens is curved in order to correct distortion of said virtual image caused by said curvature of said combiner.

13. A head up display system according to claim 12, wherein said first Fresnel lens is held between rigid bodies for preventing deformation of said first Fresnel lens.

14. A head up display system according to claim 10, further comprising means for correcting said HUD optical axis, said correction means being disposed in optical combination with said first Fresnel lens.