Reflective display at infinity

• US 5,469,298 A
• Filed: 08/14/1991
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, Russell L., Suman, Michael J., Ferrell, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US07/745,484
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/838, 359/871, 359/872, 359/869, 340/705, 296/37.7, 296/37.8, 353/13, 353/14, 345/7, 345/75
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle includes a mirror mounted near the roof for reflecting an image generated by a display source. The display source and mirror are shaped and positioned to provide a virtual image of the image generated by the display source which is focused at infinity.

Claims

1. A focus at infinity display for a vehicle comprising:

an overhead console including a housing adapted to be mounted to a vehicle'"'"'s roof structure;

a display assembly adapted to be mounted to said vehicle'"'"'s roof structure, said display assembly including a display source producing an information image; and

a non-transparent spherical target mirror positioned within said overhead console housing, said target mirror having a reflecting surface facing a driver position and said display source for reflecting said information image whereby said overhead console and said display assembly are mounted to the vehicle'"'"'s roof structure and said mirror is positioned in said overhead console such that the virtual image of said information image viewed by a driver of the vehicle viewing said mirror is substantially greater than the distance from the driver'"'"'s eye to the mirror; and

further including a base positioned within said overhead console, said mirror pivotally attached to said base whereby the driver may adjust the position of said mirror for different driving positions of the driver of the vehicle.

2. The focus at infinity display as defined in claim 1 further including means for adjusting the position of said display source to focus the virtual image viewed by the driver.

3. A focus at infinity display for a vehicle comprising:

an overhead console including a housing for mounting to a vehicle'"'"'s roof structure;

a display assembly for mounting to said vehicle'"'"'s roof structure, said display assembly including a display source producing an information image; and

a target reflective member mounted within said overhead console housing and reflecting the image of said display source to provide a virtual image of the information to be viewed by a driver of the vehicle which is remote from the vehicle, wherein said reflective target is a spherical, concave shaped mirror having a focal length of about 250 millimeters; and

a base attached to the roof structure, said mirror pivotally attached to said base whereby a driver of the vehicle may adjust the position of the mirror for different driving positions of the driver of the vehicle; and

wherein the position of said display source is adjustable to focus the virtual image viewed by the driver of the vehicle.

4. The focus at infinity display as defined in claim 3 wherein said mirror has a magnification of 7.

5. The focus at infinity display as defined in claim 4 wherein said display source is a vacuum fluorescent display.

6. A focus at infinity display for a vehicle comprising:

an overhead console including a housing adapted to be mounted to a vehicle'"'"'s roof structure;

a display assembly adapted to be mounted to said vehicle'"'"'s roof structure, said display assembly including a display source producing an information image;

a non-transparent spherical target mirror adapted to be positioned within said overhead console housing, whereby said overhead console and said display assembly are mounted to said vehicle roof structure and said mirror is positioned in said console such that said target mirror has a reflecting surface facing a driver position and said display source reflects said information image and the virtual image of said information image viewed by a driver of the vehicle viewing said mirror is greater than the sum of the distance between the driver'"'"'s eyes and the mirror and the distance between the display source and the mirror; and

wherein said display source is a vacuum fluorescent display.

7. A focus at infinity display for a vehicle comprising:

an overhead console including a housing adapted to be mounted to a vehicle'"'"'s roof structure;

a display assembly adapted to be mounted to said vehicle'"'"'s roof structure, said display assembly including a display source producing an information image;

a non-transparent spherical target mirror adapted to be positioned within said overhead console housing, said target mirror having a reflecting surface facing a driver position and said display source for reflecting said information image such that the distance from the virtual image of said image viewed by a driver of the vehicle viewing said mirror is greater than the distance between the vehicle operator and the mirror;

whereby said overhead console and said display assembly are mounted to said roof structure and said mirror is mounted in said overhead console at a position above a rearview mirror and between vehicle sunvisors such that the vehicle driver viewing said mirror sees a reflection of said virtual image in said mirror which has an altered focal distance.

8. A vehicle headliner display assembly comprising:

a display means mounted to a vehicle'"'"'s roof structure;

a mirror mounted to said vehicle'"'"'s roof structure whereby an image generated by said display means is reflected by said mirror to significantly alter the focal distance of the image as perceived by a driver of the vehicle, wherein said mirror is a concave mirror having a focal length of approximately 250 millimeters;

a base attached to said roof structure, said mirror pivotably attached to said base whereby a driver of the vehicle may adjust the position of the mirror for different driving positions; and

wherein the position of said display means is adjustable to focus the virtual image viewed by a driver of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle headliner display as defined in claim 8 wherein said mirror has a magnification of 7.

10. The vehicle headliner display as defined in claim 9 wherein said display means includes a vacuum fluorescent display.