IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,204,104
Granted Patent B2
US 12,204,104 · App. 18/387,541 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Vehicle

Inventors: Akio Misawa (Kyoto, JP); Nozomu Shimoda (Kyoto, JP); Kazuomi Kaneko (Kyoto, JP); Koji Hirata (Kyoto, JP); Toshinori Sugiyama (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
G02B27/0149B60K35/00G02B27/0101H05K7/20336H05K7/2039B60K35/213B60K35/23B60K2360/334B60K2360/691G02B2027/015G02B2027/0154
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,204,104
App. No.
18/387,541
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a head-up display apparatus further reduced in size, the head-up display apparatus having: an image display apparatus including a light source and a display element; and a virtual image optical system in which light emitted from the image display apparatus is reflected by a windshield or a combiner of the vehicle so that a virtual image is displayed in front of the vehicle, wherein the virtual image optical system has a concave mirror and a distortion correcting lens, and the distortion correcting lens is disposed between the image display apparatus and the concave mirror, the concave mirror is disposed in a housing including an outer case along a shape of an effective light path area of the image light from the image display apparatus, and the image display apparatus is attached to part of an outer periphery of the housing.

Claims (126)

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

an image display apparatus including a light source and a display element so that an image is displayed on the display element so as to generate an image projection light to be emitted;

a virtual image optical system configured to reflect the image projection light emitted from the image display apparatus by the windshield or a combiner of the vehicle so that a virtual image is displayed in the front side of the vehicle; and

a housing in which the virtual image optical system is accommodated,

wherein the virtual image optical system includes a mirror,

the housing includes a bottom surface portion formed along an optical path of the image light that is emitted from the image display apparatus to the mirror, and an intermediate bottom that has a tilt angle different from that of the bottom surface portion and is formed along an optical path of reflected light reflected by the mirror.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the housing includes a wall surface formed along a shape of an effective optical path region of the image light from the image display apparatus.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the image display apparatus is attached to one portion of an outer periphery of the housing.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the housing further includes side surface portions that rise from two side ends of the bottom surface and an upper side surface portion that rises from an end of the intermediate bottom surface portion.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the housing is constituted by an outer case in which the mirror is accommodated, and an outer cover that is integrally assembled on an upper portion of the outer case and has a member for transmitting reflected light reflected by the mirror.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the side surface portions, the intermediate bottom surface portion and the upper side surface portion forming the housing are formed so as to be separated outside from the outermost periphery of an effective optical path region of the image light, with a distance in a range from 1 mm or more to less than 15 mm.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is provided with heat dissipating means.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein

the heat dissipating means of the light source is positioned on the outer periphery of the housing.

9. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the heat dissipating means is a heat sink.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror includes a mirror driver for driving the mirror.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate on which a controller for controlling operations of the respective parts including the light source and the display element is assembled is attached to one portion of the outer periphery of the housing.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the light source and the display element constituting an image display apparatus is disposed so as to be tilted relative to an optical axis of the concave mirror.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the mirror is held on a holding member or an outer case having an angle adjusting mechanism.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein

the angle adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust the angle of the mirror, to adjust a projection position onto a windshield, and to make the position of a virtual image seen by the driver adjustable in the vertical direction.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

an image display apparatus including a light source and a display element so that an image is displayed on the display element so as to generate an image projection light to be emitted;

a virtual image optical system configured to reflect the image projection light emitted from the image display apparatus by the windshield or a combiner of the vehicle so that a virtual image is displayed in the front side of the vehicle; and a housing in which the virtual image optical system is accommodated, wherein the virtual image optical system includes a mirror,

the housing is constituted by an outer case in which the mirror is accommodated, and an outer cover that is integrally assembled on an upper portion of the outer case and has a member for transmitting reflected light reflected by the mirror.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the housing includes a wall surface formed along a shape of an effective optical path region of the image light from the image display apparatus.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the image display apparatus is attached to one portion of an outer periphery of the housing.

18. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the housing includes a bottom surface portion formed along an optical path of the image light that is emitted from the display element to the mirror, and an intermediate bottom that has a tilt angle different from that of the bottom surface portion and is formed along an optical path of reflected light reflected by the mirror.

19. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the housing further includes side surface portions that rise from two side ends of the bottom surface and an upper side surface portion that rises from an end of the intermediate bottom surface portion.

20. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the side surface portions, the intermediate bottom surface portion and the upper side surface portion forming the housing are formed so as to be separated outside from the outermost periphery of an effective optical path region of the image light, with a distance in a range from 1 mm or more to less than 15 mm.

21. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the light source is provided with heat dissipating means.

22. The vehicle according to claim 21 , wherein

the heat dissipating means of the light source is positioned on the outer periphery of the housing.

23. The vehicle according to claim 21 , wherein the heat dissipating means is a heat sink.

24. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the mirror includes a mirror driver for driving the mirror.

25. The vehicle according to claim 15 , further comprising:

a substrate on which a controller for controlling operations of the respective parts including the light source and the display element is assembled is attached to one portion of the outer periphery of the housing.

26. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the light source and the display element constituting an image display apparatus is disposed so as to be tilted relative to an optical axis of the concave mirror.

27. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the mirror is held on a holding member or an outer case having an angle adjusting mechanism.

28. The vehicle according to claim 27 , wherein

the angle adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust the angle of the mirror, to adjust a projection position onto a windshield, and to make the position of a virtual image seen by the driver adjustable in the vertical direction.

29. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

an image display apparatus including a light source and a display element so that an image is displayed on the display element so as to generate an image projection light to be emitted;

a virtual image optical system configured to reflect the image projection light emitted from the image display apparatus by the windshield or a combiner of the vehicle so that a virtual image is displayed in the front side of the vehicle; and

a housing in which the virtual image optical system is accommodated,

wherein the virtual image optical system includes a mirror,

the concave mirror is held on a holding member of an outer case having an angle adjusting mechanism, and

the angle adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust the angle of the concave mirror, to adjust a projection position onto a windshield, and to make the position of a virtual image seen by the driver adjustable in the vertical direction.

30. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the housing includes a wall surface formed along a shape of an effective optical path region of the image light from the image display apparatus.

31. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the image display apparatus is attached to one portion of an outer periphery of the housing.

32. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the housing includes a bottom surface portion formed along a bottom surface of an optical path of the image light that is emitted from the image display apparatus to the mirror, and an intermediate bottom that has a tilt angle different from that of the bottom surface portion and is formed along a bottom surface of an optical path of reflected light reflected by the mirror.

33. The vehicle according to claim 32 , wherein

the housing further includes side surface portions that rise from two side ends of the bottom surface and an upper side surface portion that rises from an end of the intermediate bottom surface portion.

34. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the housing is constituted by an outer case in which the mirror is accommodated, and an outer cover that is integrally assembled on an upper portion of the outer case and has a member for transmitting reflected light reflected by the mirror.

35. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the side surface portions, the intermediate bottom surface portion and the upper side surface portion forming the housing are formed so as to be separated outside from the outermost periphery of an effective optical path region of the image light, with a distance in a range from 1 mm or more to less than 15 mm.

36. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the light source is provided with heat dissipating means.

37. The vehicle according to claim 36 , wherein

the heat dissipating means of the light source is positioned on the outer periphery of the housing.

38. The vehicle according to claim 36 , wherein

the heat dissipating means is a heat sink.

39. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the mirror includes a mirror driver for driving the mirror.

40. The vehicle according to claim 29 , further comprising:

a substrate on which a controller for controlling operations of the respective parts including the light source and the display element is assembled is attached to one portion of the outer periphery of the housing.

41. The vehicle according to claim 29 , wherein

the light source and the display element constituting an image display apparatus is disposed so as to be tilted relative to an optical axis of the concave mirror.

42. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

a light source;

a display element that a light from the light source emits as an image projection light;

a virtual image optical system configured to reflect the image projection light emitted from the display element by the windshield or a combiner of the vehicle so that a virtual image is displayed in the front side of the vehicle; and

a housing in which the virtual image optical system is accommodated, wherein the virtual image optical system includes a mirror,

the housing includes a first surface formed along an optical path of the image light that is emitted from the display element to the mirror, and a second surface that has a tilt angle different from that of the first surface and is formed along an optical path of reflected light reflected by the mirror.

43. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the housing includes a wall surface formed along a shape of an effective optical path region of the image light from the image display apparatus.

44. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

an image display apparatus including the light source and the display element,

the image display apparatus is attached to one portion of an outer periphery of the housing.

45. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the housing further includes side surface portions that rise from two side ends of the first surface and an upper side surface portion that rises from an end of the second surface portion.

46. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the housing is constituted by an outer case in which the mirror is accommodated, and an outer cover that is integrally assembled on an upper portion of the outer case and has a member for transmitting reflected light reflected by the mirror.

47. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the side surface portions, the second surface portion and the upper side surface portion forming the housing are formed so as to be separated outside from the outermost periphery of an effective optical path region of the image light, with a distance in a range from 1 mm or more to less than 15 mm.

48. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the light source is provided with heat dissipating means.

49. The vehicle according to claim 48 , wherein

the heat dissipating means of the light source is positioned on the outer periphery of the housing.

50. The vehicle according to claim 48 , wherein

the heat dissipating means is a heat sink.

51. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the mirror includes a mirror driver for driving the mirror.

52. The vehicle according to claim 42 , further comprising:

a substrate on which a controller for controlling operations of the respective parts including the light source and the display element is assembled is attached to one portion of the outer periphery of the housing.

53. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the light source and the display element constituting an image display apparatus is disposed so as to be tilted relative to an optical axis of the concave mirror.

54. The vehicle according to claim 42 , wherein

the mirror is held on a holding member or an outer case having an angle adjusting mechanism.

55. The vehicle according to claim 54 , wherein

the angle adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust the angle of the mirror, to adjust a projection position onto a windshield, and to make the position of a virtual image seen by the driver adjustable in the vertical direction.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-134902 · Jul 7, 2016 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17870308 · Jul 21, 2022
Continuation 16309471
Related Publication 20240069341A1 · Feb 29, 2024
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