IP Library Granted Patent US 7,466,220
Granted Patent B2
US 7,466,220 · App. 11/129,298 · Granted Dec 16, 2008

Head-up display apparatus and mirror unit for the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,466,220
App. No.
11/129,298
Granted
Dec 16, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

Providing a head-up display apparatus capable of receiving a mirror, which projects from a line of an instrument panel when in use, without increasing a receiving section and spoiling a beauty of the instrument panel, and a mirror unit used in the same, a mirror is rotated about an axis perpendicular to a reflecting surface of the mirror so as to project a part of the mirror from the opening when in use, and take in the projected part of the mirror down within the opening when not in use. Thus, the whole mirror can be received in the receiving section only by rotational motion.

Claims (17)

1. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a display device displaying a predetermined image;

an optical system reflecting said image toward a windshield to be reflected again by the windshield;

a receiving section being installed in an instrument panel at an opening of the instrument panel for receiving the display device and the optical system;

a panel cover to cover an opening of the receiving section as the opening of the instrument panel; and

a control mechanism for the optical system, for positioning a part of the optical system from a position in the receiving section to make a car driver sitting on a driver's seat recognize the image when in use, and for positioning the part of the optical system within the receiving section when not in use to make the car driver ignore the image.

2. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a display device displaying a predetermined image;

a mirror reflecting said image toward a windshield;

a receiving section being installed in an instrument panel for receiving the display device and the mirror;

a panel cover covering an opening of the receiving section; and

a mirror rotating mechanism for rotating the mirror about an axis perpendicular to a reflecting surface of the mirror so as to position a part of the mirror from the opening of the receiving section when in use, and take in the part of the mirror down within the opening when not in use.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said panel cover is formed into a shape of flat plate, and made movable in parallel to the opening interlockingly with rotation of the mirror for covering the opening so as to be in the same plane with the instrument panel when not in use.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 further comprising an eye-range adjusting mechanism being capable of adjusting an angle of the mirror corresponding to an eye-range when in use according to a position in height of the eye-range of a car driver sitting on a driver's seat.

5. A mirror unit, which is used for ahead-up display apparatus having a receiving section to be installed in an instrument panel for receiving a display device for displaying a predetermined image and a mirror for reflecting said image toward a windshield, comprising;

a mirror rotating mechanism for rotating the mirror about an axis perpendicular to a reflecting surface of the mirror; and

a fixed unit, on which the mirror rotating mechanism is mounted, being fixed on a inner wall of a receiving section so as to position a part of the mirror from an opening of the receiving section when in use, and take in the part of the mirror down within the opening when not in use.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 5, 2023
From: YAZAKI CORPORATION
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063845/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2005
From: AOKI, KUNIMITSU; FURUYA, YOSHIYUKI; KAGEYAMA, HIDEAKI; NAKAMURA, GO
To: YAZAKI CORPORATTION
Reel/Frame 016569/0019 →