IP Library Granted Patent US 12674999
Granted Patent B2
US 12674999 · App. 18/298,459 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Aerial display apparatus

Inventor: Yasuhiro Daiku (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TOPPAN Holdings Inc.
G02B30/56
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12674999
App. No.
18/298,459
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aerial display apparatus includes: a display module including a light emission surface emitting display light to display an aerial image, and displaying the aerial image on a first plane located above the light emission surface and parallel with the light emission surface; a sensing device emitting laser light to form a detection region on a second plane obliquely crossing the first plane, and detecting an object entering the detection region; and a housing housing the display module and the sensing device.

Claims (34)

1 . An aerial display apparatus comprising:

a display module including a light emission surface emitting display light to display an aerial image, and displaying the aerial image on a first plane located above the light emission surface and parallel with the light emission surface;

a sensing device emitting laser light to form a detection region on a second plane obliquely crossing the first plane, and detecting an object entering the detection region; and

a housing housing the display module and the sensing device, wherein the sensing device includes:

a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a first direction and emitting the laser light; and

a plurality of light-receiving elements arranged in the first direction and detecting reflected light reflected by the object.

2 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display module includes:

a display device displaying an image; and

a mirror device disposed to receive light from the display device, reflecting the light from the display device to a side opposite to the display device, and configured to form an aerial image in an aerial space.

3 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the display module includes:

an optical path deflection device refracting the light reflected with the mirror device in a direction perpendicular to the light emission surface, and

the display device, the mirror device, and the optical path deflection device are arranged mutually in parallel.

4 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the optical path deflection device includes a plurality of prisms.

5 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the mirror device includes a plurality of optical elements, and

each of the optical elements is formed of a rectangular parallelepiped or a cube, and includes a first and a second reflection surfaces contacting with each other and reflecting light.

6 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the display module includes a lighting device emitting light toward the display device, and

the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

7 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the display module includes a first light control device disposed between the display device and the mirror device,

the first light control device includes a plurality of first transparent members and a plurality of first light shielding members,

the first transparent members and the first light shielding members are alternately arranged such that adjacent ones contact with each other, and

each of the first transparent members and the first light shielding members extends in the direction perpendicular to the light emission surface.

8 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the display module includes a second light control device disposed between the display device and the mirror device,

the second light control device includes a plurality of second transparent members and a plurality of second light shielding members,

the second transparent members and the second light shielding members are alternately arranged such that adjacent ones contact with each other, and

each of the second transparent members and the second light shielding members extends in an oblique direction with respect to the direction perpendicular to the light emission surface.

9 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting elements and the light-receiving elements are alternately arranged.

10 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing device includes an angle adjusting mechanism adjusting an angle at which the first plane crosses the detection region by adjusting angles with which the light-emitting elements face.

11 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing device includes a plurality of lenses provided above the light-emitting elements and the light-receiving elements.

12 . The aerial display apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the sensing device includes a case housing the light-emitting elements, the light-receiving elements, and the lenses.