Vehicle display apparatus

Abstract

A vehicle display apparatus (1) includes: an indicator (3) disposed in an instrument panel (102) of a vehicle (100) and configured to emit desired visual information as display light (L); and an aspherical mirror (4) that is provided on an optical path of the display light (L) from the indicator (3) to a windshield (101) of the vehicle (100) and is located at a position visible from a viewing position (EP) of a driver (D). The aspherical mirror (4) reflects the display light (L) emitted from the indicator (3) to an observation position (EP), and causes a driver (D) to visually recognize desired visual information as a virtual image (S).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle display device. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, a vehicle such as an automobile is equipped with a vehicle display device such as a head-up display (HUD). For example, the vehicle display device in the related art is configured so that a display image displayed on an indicator is projected onto a windshield, a combiner, etc. via an optical system such as a reflector, so that the driver visually recognizes the display image as a virtual image (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Reference List

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: JP2018-120807A Summary of the invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] As described above, in the vehicle display device that projects a display image onto the windshield, the display image may not be projected depending on the shape of the windshield. In other words, the above vehicle display device needs to be designed according to the shape of the windshield of each vehicle.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a general-purpose vehicle display device that is not affected by vehicle specifications (particularly, the shape of a windshield).

[0009] Solution to the problem

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle display device arranged in a vehicle dashboard, and the vehicle display device includes:

[0011] an indicator configured to emit desired visual information as display light; and

[0012] An aspherical mirror is provided on the optical path of display light from the indicator to the vehicle windshield and is located at a position visible from the driver's viewing position, wherein

[0013] The aspherical mirror reflects the display light emitted from the indicator to the viewing position so that the driver visually recognizes the desired visual information as a virtual image.

[0014] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the vehicle display device of the embodiment of the present invention, the display light emitted from the indicator is reflected by the aspherical mirror to the driver's viewing position, and the desired visual information can be visually recognized by the driver as a virtual image. Therefore, the vehicle display device can be used universally without being affected by the vehicle specifications (especially the shape of the windshield). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram (side view) showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle display device;

[0018] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of an upper end portion of a vehicle display device;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle display device as viewed from a driver's viewing position;

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of processing different observation positions;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a display mode of a virtual image; and

[0022] Figure 7 is corresponding to Figure 1 , and is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the upper portion of the housing portion is covered by the upper portion of the instrument panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, a vehicle display apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Hereinafter, a schematic configuration of the vehicle display device 1 will be described. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle display device 1 is an instrument device provided on a dashboard 102 in a vehicle 100 such as a car, and can display various instruments. The vehicle display device 1 can display information of various instruments as a virtual image S, for example, as in a head-up display device. The virtual image S is formed on an extension line of the optical path so that when observed from an observation position EP of a driver D, the virtual image S is located in front of the vehicle display device 1 in the vehicle travel direction and away from the vehicle display device 1.

[0025] like Figure 2As shown, the vehicle display device 1 includes a housing portion 2, an indicator 3, an aspherical mirror 4, and a shading glass 5 (corresponding to the "shading portion" of the present invention). The housing portion 2 accommodates and supports the indicator 3 and the aspherical mirror 4 in its internal space. The housing portion 2 is provided with an opening 2b that establishes communication between the internal space and the outside. The opening 2b is provided at a position in the housing portion 2 facing the driver D and is closed by the shading glass 5.

[0026] In this embodiment, the housing portion 2 is formed into a substantially L-shape, the upper portion above the bent portion may be the upper portion 21, and the lower portion below the bent portion may be the lower portion 22. Figure 1 As shown, in the vehicle 100 , the housing portion 2 is arranged such that the lower portion 22 is arranged in the instrument panel 102 , and the upper portion 21 stands upright from the upper surface 102 a of the instrument panel 102 .

[0027] The indicator 3 emits desired visual information as display light L, which will be visually recognized as a virtual image S by the driver D of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the indicator 3 is arranged to be inclined relative to the horizontal direction of the vehicle so that the display light L is emitted in a forward and obliquely upward direction. As the indicator 3, for example, an indicator used in a known head-up display device is used.

[0028] As an example, the indicator 3 includes a light source; a display panel, which emits light incident from the light source as display light L; a focusing lens, which is arranged on an optical path between the light source and the display panel, and converges the light incident from the light source to the display panel; a light distribution lens, which is arranged between the focusing lens and the display panel on the optical path between the light source and the display panel, and distributes the light converged by the focusing lens toward the display panel; and a wave plate for adjusting the deflection direction of the display panel.

[0029] The light source includes a light source substrate on which, when viewed from the optical axis direction of the condenser lens, a plurality of light emitting elements are collectively mounted at positions through which the optical axis of the condenser lens passes, and each light emitting element is, for example, a light emitting diode (LED).

[0030] The display panel is a so-called liquid crystal panel, and is made of, for example, a transparent or semi-transparent thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display.

[0031] The condenser lens is made of, for example, a high refractive index material such as glass or a transparent resin, and has a function of refracting light directed outward inward and converging the light on the light distributing lens.

[0032] The light distributing lens is made of, for example, a material such as glass or a transparent resin, and has a function of refracting and distributing light toward a display area of ​​a display panel.

[0033] The aspherical mirror 4 is a so-called concave mirror whose reflective surface is formed by a concave curved surface, and totally reflects the display light L emitted from the indicator 3 toward the observation position EP through the light-shielding glass 5 so that the driver D visually recognizes the visual information as a virtual image S. Therefore, the aspherical mirror 4 is provided on the optical path of the display light L from the indicator 3 to the windshield 101, and is located at a position visible from the observation position EP of the driver D, and is provided to be inclined relative to the horizontal direction of the vehicle so that the reflective surface faces obliquely downward.

[0034] In addition, the aspherical mirror 4 has a function as a magnifying glass, for example, and magnifies and reflects visual information so that the visual information represented by the display light L after reflection by the aspherical mirror 4 is relatively larger than the visual information represented by the display light L before reflection by the aspherical mirror 4.

[0035] The light shielding glass 5 is attached to the housing portion 2 to close the opening 2b of the housing portion 2, and is in a state of standing upright from the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102. The light shielding glass 5 is configured to transmit the display light L from the internal space of the housing portion 2 to the outside, and to block or reduce the incidence of external light SL including sunlight from the outside to the internal space. As the light shielding glass 5, so-called smoked glass or the like is used.

[0036] The upper end portion 5a of the light shielding glass 5 protrudes above the upper surface 2a of the housing portion 2 (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 ), so that the driver D cannot visually recognize the housing portion 2 at the observation position EP (see Figure 4 ).

[0037] Hereinafter, a virtual image display operation in the vehicle display device 1 will be described. First, the display light L emitted from the indicator 3 propagates toward the aspherical mirror 4. The aspherical mirror 4 reflects the display light L incident from the indicator 3 through the sunshade glass 5 toward the observation position EP of the driver D of the vehicle 100 by a concave reflection surface. Therefore, the visual information corresponding to the display light L is displayed as a virtual image S in front of the observation position EP of the driver D. That is, the driver D can visually recognize the virtual image S as the visual information corresponding to the display light L in front of the vehicle display device and away from the vehicle display device in the vehicle traveling direction by visually recognizing the aspherical mirror 4 reflecting the display light L.

[0038] The difference in the observation position EP of the driver D can be obtained by Figure 5 The method of processing the difference includes, for example, changing the emission angle (reflection position) of the display lights L, L1 and L2 from the indicator 3 to the aspherical mirror 4, or changing the display position of the display panel in the indicator 3.

[0039] In this embodiment, as described above, the visual information is magnified and reflected so that the visual information represented by the display light L after being reflected by the aspherical mirror 4 is relatively increased. Therefore, the displayable range DL of the visual information is larger than the frame of the light shielding glass 5 (see Figure 6 The vehicle display device 1 uses a partial area (display range DI) of the displayable range DL within the frame range of the light shielding glass 5 to display visual information (see Figure 6 ). Therefore, the driver D visually recognizes only the visible information corresponding to the display range DI, and does not visually recognize the display frame of the visual information (in other words, the boundary line between the visual information and other information). Therefore, the vehicle display device 1 can achieve a so-called seamless appearance.

[0040] As the desired visual information in this embodiment, in addition to the information of various instruments of the vehicle, map information, navigation information, etc. can also be displayed.

[0041] As described above, regarding the vehicle display device of the related art that projects display light onto the windshield, according to the present embodiment, the display light L emitted from the indicator 3 is reflected by the aspherical mirror 4 to the observation position EP of the driver D, and the desired visual information can be visually recognized by the driver D as a virtual image S. Therefore, the vehicle display device 1 can be used universally without being affected by the vehicle specifications (particularly, the shape of the windshield 101).

[0042] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the external light SL incident on the interior of the housing portion 2 can be blocked or weakened by the light shielding glass 5, it is not necessary to provide a cover portion or the like for blocking the external light in the housing portion 2. That is, the housing portion 2 can be designed without a cover.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the light shielding glass 5 is attached to the housing portion 2 in a state of standing upright from the upper surface of the instrument panel 102 , visibility of the driver D can be improved.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the upper end portion 5a of the light shielding glass 5 protrudes above the upper surface 2a of the housing portion 2, the driver D cannot visually recognize the housing portion 2. Therefore, the design in the vehicle 100 after the vehicle display apparatus 1 is installed is improved.

[0045] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, as described above, a hoodless design, a seamless appearance, and the like can be realized at low cost.

[0046] <Other embodiments>

[0047] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be appropriately modified, improved, etc. Furthermore, the materials, shapes, sizes, numbers, arrangement positions, etc. of the components in the above-described embodiments are freely selectable and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, the upper portion 21 of the housing portion 2 is disposed to be exposed on the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102. Figure 7 As shown, the upper portion 21 of the housing portion 2 may be covered by the instrument panel upper portion 103. In this case, the upper end portion 5a of the light shielding glass 5 preferably protrudes above the upper surface 103a of the instrument panel upper portion 103 so that the driver D cannot visually recognize the upper surface 103a of the instrument panel upper portion 103. Therefore, the design in the vehicle 100 after the vehicle display device 1 is installed is improved.

[0049] Here, features of the embodiments of the vehicle display device according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed in the following first to fifth aspects.

[0050] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle display device (1) provided in a dashboard (102) of a vehicle (100) comprises: an indicator (3) configured to emit desired visual information as display light (L); and an aspherical mirror (4) provided on an optical path of the display light (L) from the indicator (3) to a windshield (101) of the vehicle (100) and located at a position visible from an observation position (EP) of a driver (D). The aspherical mirror (4) reflects the display light (L) emitted from the indicator (3) to the observation position (EP) so that the driver (D) visually recognizes the desired visual information as a virtual image (S).

[0051] Regarding the vehicle display device of the related art that projects display light onto the windshield, according to the configuration of the first aspect, the display light emitted from the indicator is reflected by the aspherical mirror to the driver's viewing position, and the desired visual information can be visually recognized by the driver as a virtual image. Therefore, the vehicle display device can be used universally without being affected by the vehicle specifications (particularly the shape of the windshield).

[0052] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle display device (1) of the first aspect, at least a portion of the aspherical mirror (4) is located above the instrument panel (102) and is arranged to be tilted downward relative to the horizontal direction of the vehicle (100).

[0053] According to the configuration of the second aspect, similarly to the first aspect, the display light emitted from the indicator is reflected by the aspherical mirror to the driver's viewing position, and desired visual information can be visually recognized by the driver as a virtual image.

[0054] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle display device (1) of the second aspect, the vehicle display device further comprises: a housing portion (2) accommodating the indicator (3) and the aspherical mirror (4); and a shading portion (shading glass 5) attached to the housing portion (2) so as to be located on an optical path from the aspherical mirror (4) to the observation position (EP). The shading portion (shading glass 5) is configured to transmit the display light (L) from the inside of the housing portion (2) to the outside, and to block or reduce the incidence of external light including sunlight from the outside to the inside.

[0055] According to the configuration of the third aspect, since the external light incident on the inside of the housing portion can be blocked or weakened by the light shielding portion, it is not necessary to provide a cover portion or the like for blocking the external light in the housing portion. That is, the housing portion can be designed without a cover.

[0056] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle display device (1) of the third aspect, the light shielding portion (light shielding glass 5) is attached to the housing portion (2) in a state of standing upright from an upper surface (102a) of an instrument panel (102).

[0057] Furthermore, according to the configuration of the fourth aspect, since the light shielding portion is attached to the housing portion in a state of standing upright from the upper surface of the instrument panel, visibility for the driver can be improved.

[0058] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle display device (1) of the fourth aspect, the upper end portion (5a) of the shading portion (shading glass 5) protrudes above the upper surface (2a) of the shell portion, so that the driver (D) cannot visually identify the shell portion (2).

[0059] According to the configuration of the fifth aspect, since the upper end portion of the light shielding portion protrudes above the upper surface of the housing portion, the driver cannot visually recognize the housing portion. Therefore, the design in the vehicle after the vehicle display device is installed is improved.

[0060] Although the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0061] This application is based on the Japanese patent application filed on December 27, 2022 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-210353), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] Industrial Applicability

[0063] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle display device that can be used universally regardless of vehicle specifications (particularly, the shape of the windshield). The present invention having such an effect is useful for a vehicle display device.

[0064] Reference numerals list

[0065] 1: Vehicle display equipment

[0066] 2: Shell

[0067] 2a: Upper surface

[0068] 2b: Opening

[0069] 3: Indicator

[0070] 4: Aspherical mirror

[0071] 5: Shading glass

[0072] 5a: Upper end

[0073] 21: Upper part

[0074] 22: Lower part

[0075] 100: Vehicles

[0076] 101: Windshield

[0077] 102: Dashboard

[0078] 102a: Upper surface

[0079] 103: Upper part of instrument panel

[0080] 103a: Upper surface

[0081] D: Driver

[0082] EP: Observation position

[0083] L, L1, L2: Display lights

[0084] S: Virtual Image

[0085] SL: external light.

Claims

1. A vehicle display device, the vehicle display device being arranged in a dashboard of a vehicle, the vehicle display device comprising: an indicator configured to emit desired visual information as display light; and an aspherical mirror disposed on an optical path of the display light from the indicator to the windshield of the vehicle and located at a position visible from a driver's viewing position, wherein The aspherical mirror reflects the display light emitted from the indicator to the observation position so that the driver visually recognizes the desired visual information as a virtual image.

2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein At least a portion of the aspherical mirror is located above the instrument panel and is disposed to be tilted downward relative to a horizontal direction of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle display device according to claim 2, further comprising: a housing portion in which the indicator and the aspherical mirror are accommodated; and a light shielding portion attached to the housing portion so as to be located on an optical path from the aspherical mirror to the observation position, wherein The light shielding portion is configured to transmit the display light from the inside of the housing portion to the outside, and to block or reduce incidence of external light including sunlight from the outside to the inside.

4. The vehicle display device according to claim 3, wherein The light shielding portion is attached to the housing portion in a state of standing upright from an upper surface of the instrument panel.

5. The vehicle display device according to claim 4, wherein An upper end portion of the light shielding portion protrudes above an upper surface of the housing portion so that the driver cannot visually recognize the housing portion.

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