Optical component

Abstract

An optical member (1) is provided with: a mirror (2) that reflects light; and a switching mirror (3) capable of switching between a transmission state in which the light is transmitted and a reflection state in which the light is reflected. The reflective mirror (2) and the switching mirror (3) are arranged in parallel. In a reflection state, the switching mirror (3) reflects incident light (L2) at an incident angle (theta) toward the mirror (2) at a reflection angle (phi) larger than (theta). The mirror (2) causes the incident light (L2) reflected by the switching mirror (3) to be incident at an incident angle (phi), and reflects the incident light (L2) toward the switching mirror (3) at a reflection angle (theta).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an optical member that has a pair of mirrors that function as a pair of mirrors and that is capable of guiding light that is incident and emitting light. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, an optical member that is used as a blind area assist device, for example, has been known, which, when external view light is incident between a pair of mirrors that are opposedly arranged between a mirror that mainly reflects light and a half mirror that reflects and transmits light, reflects and emits the external view light between the pair of mirrors. The half mirror is composed of, for example, a metal film or a dielectric multilayer film, but in the former, the light absorption rate is 30% or more, and the light quantity decreases, and in the latter, the light absorption rate is small, and the loss of light can be suppressed, but the reflectance varies depending on the wavelength and the incident angle of light.

[0003] Therefore, an optical member without a half mirror that can suppress the decrease in the light quantity and the change in the brightness and the color tone of the external view seen by the user has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-28532). The emission surface of the optical member without a half mirror that emits light to the user side includes a plurality of flat portions that function as mirrors by total reflection and a plurality of prism portions that emit light, and the above problem can be solved.

[0004] In addition, as an optical member without a half mirror, an optical member that uses a switching mirror that can switch between a transmission state and a reflection state has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0006] PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-22908 SUMMARY

[0008] In recent years, in the field of such optical members, there is a demand for thinness. The above-described optical members are each configured such that, at a position inside that guides light, the incident light undergoes regular reflection, and the incident angle and the reflection angle are equal. Here, the distance between the positions that function as a pair of mirrors, that is, the thickness, is set to T, the incident angle and the reflection angle of the incident light are set to θ, and the distance that the light advances when it goes back and forth once between the positions is set to W. At this time, the thickness T of the optical member is determined by the relationship T = W / 2 tan θ, and therefore it is difficult to further thin the optical member.

[0009] On the other hand, the optical member configured by the plurality of flat portions and the plurality of prism portions makes the incidence surface, which makes the external light incident to the inside, inclined and increases the incidence angle, thereby enabling the optical member to be thinner than other optical members, but the light is emitted to the user side in a pattern shape by the plurality of prism portions. Therefore, the visibility of the external scene in the blind area of the optical member will be reduced.

[0010] The present disclosure, in view of the above, aims to provide an optical member capable of suppressing reduction in visibility of an external scene seen by a user and achieving thinness.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an optical member includes:

[0012] a mirror having a first reflection layer that reflects light; and

[0013] a switching mirror having a second reflection layer that can switch between a transparent state that transmits light and a reflection state that reflects light, the mirror and the switching mirror being arranged in parallel,

[0014] a normal direction to a plane formed by the mirror or the switching mirror is set as a thickness direction, an angle formed by a traveling direction of incident light incident to the mirror or the switching mirror and the thickness direction is set as an incidence angle, and an angle formed by a traveling direction of reflected light reflected by the mirror or the switching mirror and the thickness direction is set as a reflection angle,

[0015] the first reflection layer has a first inclined surface inclined with respect to a plane formed by the mirror, and an axis with respect to a normal direction of the first inclined surface is a first inclined axis,

[0016] the second reflection layer has a second inclined surface inclined with respect to a plane formed by the switching mirror, and an axis with respect to a normal direction of the second inclined surface is a second inclined axis,

[0017] the switching mirror reflects the incident light at an incidence angle of θ and reflects the reflected light at a reflection angle φ that is larger than θ,

[0018] the mirror reflects the incident light at the incidence angle φ at the reflection angle θ by virtue of the first inclined axis being parallel to the second inclined axis.

[0019] The optical member has the mirror and the switching mirror arranged in parallel, the mirror has the first reflection layer that reflects light, and the switching mirror has the second reflection layer that can switch between the transparent state that transmits light and the reflection state that reflects light. In addition, in the reflection state, if an incidence angle of incident light is set as θ, the switching mirror reflects the incident light at an angle φ that is larger than θ. Moreover, the mirror reflects the incident light at the incidence angle φ at the angle θ by virtue of the first inclined axis of the first reflection layer being parallel to the second inclined axis of the second reflection layer.

[0020] In this optical component, since the switching mirror that emits light towards the user does not have a protruding prism, the external light does not exit in a pattern along the arrangement of the prisms, thus suppressing the reduction in the visibility of the external scene seen by the user. Furthermore, this optical component is configured such that, because the angles of the incident light and the reflected light in the reflector and switching mirror are different, the distance the light travels back and forth between the reflector and switching mirror increases compared to the case of orthographic reflection. Therefore, this optical component can shorten the distance between the reflector and switching mirror based on the increase in the distance the light travels in one round trip between the reflector and switching mirror, enabling a thinner design. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing the optical components of the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 It is in the reflector Figure 1 An enlarged sectional view of region II.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of the division of the switching mirror and the circuit board used for its control.

[0024] Figure 4 It is Figure 1 The image is an enlarged view of region IV, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the switching mirror in reflection state.

[0025] Figure 5 It is equivalent to Figure 4 The image is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the switching mirror in its transparent state.

[0026] Figure 6 This is an explanatory diagram regarding the case where the first area in the switching mirror is in a transparent state.

[0027] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram regarding the situation where the second area in the switching mirror is in a transparent state.

[0028] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram regarding the case where the Nth region in the switching mirror is in a transparent state.

[0029] Figure 9 This is an explanatory diagram regarding the width of each area of ​​the switching mirror and the direct incident area.

[0030] Figure 10 This is an explanatory diagram of the light guide and thickness in the optical component of a comparative example.

[0031] Figure 11 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the thinning effect of the optical components in the first embodiment.

[0032] Figure 12This is a cross-sectional view showing the optical components of the second embodiment.

[0033] Figure 13 This is an explanatory diagram of the light guide in the case where one area of ​​the mirror in the optical component of the second embodiment is switched to a transparent state.

[0034] Figure 14 This is an explanatory diagram of the light guide in the final region of the optical component in the second embodiment.

[0035] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view showing the optical components of the third embodiment.

[0036] Figure 16 This is an explanatory diagram of the light guide in the optical component of the third embodiment.

[0037] Figure 17 It is Figure 16 The image is an enlarged view of region XVII, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the reflector.

[0038] Figure 18 It is Figure 16 The image shows an enlarged view of the XVIII region, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the switching mirror. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the same or equivalent parts will be described using the same reference numerals.

[0040] (First Implementation)

[0041] The optical component 1 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The optical component 1 of this embodiment is used, for example, as a blind spot assist device. It is installed on components, obstacles, etc., that obstruct a user's view and create a blind spot, enabling the user to see the scene in the blind spot area. For example, in the case of vehicle use, the optical component 1 is installed on a pillar or similar structure of the vehicle it is mounted on, guiding external light from the area in the blind spot caused by the pillar towards the user, enabling the user to see the scene in the blind spot area.

[0042] Figure 1 Equivalent to Figure 3 A sectional view along line II. Figures 6-9 In the following text, to facilitate understanding of which of the multiple regions R1 to RN of the switching mirror 3 represents either transparent or reflective states, the reflective regions are marked with shades, while the transparent regions are represented by blank spaces. Additionally, Figures 6-9 , Figure 11 It is equivalent to Figure 1 A sectional view.

[0043] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the optical component 1 includes: a reflector 2 that reflects light; and a switching mirror 3, which is arranged parallel to the reflector 2 and can switch between a transparent state that allows light to pass through and a reflective state that reflects light. The reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 of the optical component 1 are mounted in a frame or holding member (not shown), and these two members are held in a parallel state. The optical component 1 is configured such that when light is incident from the rear side of the reflector 2 towards the switching mirror 3, a portion of the light is repeatedly reflected by both the reflective portion in the switching mirror 3 and the reflector 2, and a portion of the light is emitted from the transparent portion in the switching mirror 3. Thus, the optical component 1 guides light incident from a blind spot area blocked by an obstacle (not shown) between the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3, and causes the light to be emitted outward over a large area of ​​the switching mirror 3, thereby allowing the user to see the outside scenery of the blind spot area.

[0044] For ease of explanation, the following examples are provided. Figure 1 As indicated by the middle arrow, the direction of the normal to one side 2a of the mirror 2 and the opposing surface 3a of the switching mirror 3, which corresponds to the thickness direction of the optical component 1, is called the "thickness direction D1". Furthermore, the state of viewing the optical component 1 or its constituent elements from the direction along the thickness direction D1 is called "top view". Additionally, the direction along the plane formed by the opposing surfaces 3a of the switching mirror 3, and the direction from the end of the portion of the switching mirror 3 extending from the mirror 2 (e.g., the incident end 3A described later) towards the end opposite to that end when viewed from above, is called the "light guiding direction D2". The light guiding direction D2 can be described as the direction along which light is guided by the mirror 2 and the switching mirror 3. Figure 2 The thickness direction D1 and the light guiding direction D2, as indicated by arrows in the following diagrams, are related to... Figure 1 The directions indicated by the middle arrows correspond. Additionally, for ease of explanation, sometimes... Figure 1 The plane formed by the thickness direction D1 and the light guiding direction D2 shown in the figure is called the "light guiding plane".

[0045] In addition, for example, such as Figure 6As shown, the light incident on the optical component 1 from the outside is called "external light L1", and the light reflected by the switching mirror 3 from the external light L1 is called "incident light L2". Furthermore, the light emitted from the external light L1 via the optical component 1 to the exit surface 3b of the switching mirror 3 is called "exit light L3". Additionally, in the light guide plane, the angle between the direction of travel of the light incident on the reflector 2 and the thickness direction D1, and the angle between the direction of travel of the light incident on the switching mirror 3 and the thickness direction D1, are called the "incident angle". The light incident on the reflector 2 is the light reflected by the switching mirror 3 in a reflective state. The light incident on the switching mirror 3 is the external light L1 and the incident light L2 reflected by the reflector 2. Additionally, in the light guide plane, the angle between the direction of travel of the light reflected by the reflector 2 and the thickness direction D1, and the angle between the direction of travel of the light reflected by the switching mirror 3 and the thickness direction D1, are called the "reflection angle". Furthermore, the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection in the switching mirror 3 are sometimes referred to as the "first angle of incidence" and the "first angle of reflection", while those in the reflector 2 are referred to as the "second angle of incidence" and the "second angle of reflection".

[0046] The reflector 2 is a reflective component that reflects visible light toward the switching mirror 3 with a reflectivity of at least a specified value (e.g., 80% or more, but not limited thereto). The reflector 2 is paired with the switching mirror 3, and to achieve a thinner optical component 1, it is designed to reflect the incident light L2 at a second reflection angle different from the second angle of incidence. For example, as... Figure 2 As shown, the reflector 2 includes a transparent substrate 21, a first reflective layer 22, a light-shielding substrate 23 at least partially made of a light-shielding material, and an anti-reflection layer 24. The reflector 2 is, for example, constructed by sequentially stacking the light-shielding substrate 23, the first reflective layer 22, the transparent substrate 21, and the anti-reflection layer 24. An incident light L2 is incident on the reflector 2 from the side 2a opposite to the switching mirror 3 at an incident angle φ, and the incident light L2 is reflected in the first reflective layer 22 at a reflection angle θ (<φ).

[0047] The transparent substrate 21 is made of any light-transmitting material such as glass or resin, and functions as a cover for the first reflective layer 22. An anti-reflective layer 24 is formed on one side 2a of the transparent substrate 21 on the side of the switching mirror 3.

[0048] The first reflective layer 22 performs asymmetric reflection as follows: it reflects the incident light L2 at a second reflection angle θ, which is different from the second incident angle φ and the same as the first incident angle θ of the external light L1 incident on the switching mirror 3. The first reflective layer 22 is, for example, as shown in... Figure 2As shown, the structure is a periodic layer structure consisting of repeatedly stacked liquid crystal layers oriented at an angle α relative to the plane formed by one surface 2a. The first reflective layer 22 is, for example, made of cholesterol-type liquid crystal. For example, when the average refractive index of the transparent substrate 21 and the first reflective layer 22 is n (n>1), the second incident angle φ of the incident light L2 is changed to φ0 (φ0<φ) by internal refraction. Moreover, the reflective mirror 2 is, for example, a structure in which the first reflective layer 22 has a refractive index modulation of Δn in the above-described periodic layer structure, and the light with incident angle φ0 undergoes Bragg reflection at an inclined surface with an inclination angle α inside the first reflective layer 22. In addition, at this time, sinφ / n=sinφ0. Then, in the reflector 2, for example, the angle of internal reflection of the incident light L2 reflected by the first reflective layer 22 at the Bragg reflection layer 22, θ0 = φ0 - 2α, when it exits towards the switching mirror 3, i.e., the external reflection angle, is restored to the same θ as the incident angle of the external light L1 towards the switching mirror 3. Furthermore, at this time, n × sin(φ0 - 2α) = n × sinθ0 = sinθ. That is, the reflector 2 serves to restore the angle of the incident light L2, which is asymmetrically reflected by the switching mirror 3, to the angle before it was reflected by the switching mirror 3. Therefore, when the incident light L2 reflected by the switching mirror 3 finally exits from the exit surface 3b to the outside, the optical component 1 restores to the same angle θ as the incident angle of the external light L1, ensuring the continuity between the scene directly seen by the user and the scene seen through the optical component 1.

[0049] Here, for example, Figure 2 As shown, the virtual straight line connecting the center of the incident light L2 and the center of the reflected light on the inclined surface at an angle α is defined as the inclined axis ax1, and the angle between the inclined axis ax1 and the thickness direction D1, i.e., the tilt angle of the layer structure, is defined as α1. The inclined axis ax1 can also be described as an axis along the normal direction relative to the inclined surface of the first reflective layer 22. At this time, the tilt angle α1 of the first reflective layer 22 is the same as the tilt angle α2 of the switching mirror 3 described later.

[0050] The light-shielding substrate 23 is made of any black material that absorbs visible light, such that the external light L1 from the opposite side of one side 2a, i.e., the other side 2b, does not transmit through the reflector 2. The light-shielding substrate 23 can be configured to block the external light L1 from the other side 2b, or it can be configured to have a light-shielding film made of any black material formed on a transparent substrate such as glass or resin, or it can be configured to have separate light-shielding components mounted on a transparent substrate.

[0051] An anti-reflection layer 24 is formed on the surface of the transparent substrate 21, which is the side 2a opposite to the switching mirror 3 in the reflector 2, to prevent the incident light L2 from being reflected off the surface of the side 2a. It is formed to reduce noise caused by surface reflection. The anti-reflection layer 24 can be, for example, an anti-reflection film, or it can be a moth-eye structure formed directly on the transparent substrate 21.

[0052] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the switching mirror 3 has multiple divided regions R1 to RN (N: a natural number greater than 2), and is a dimming component capable of switching between the transparent state of transmitted visible light and the reflective state of reflected visible light according to each of the multiple regions R1 to RN. The switching mirror 3 can also be called a "dimming mirror". Alternatively, the multiple regions R1 to RN can also be referred to as divided regions, but their number can be appropriately changed.

[0053] For ease of explanation, the following is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, when viewed from above, one of the two ends extending from the reflector 2 in the switching mirror 3 is called the "incident end 3A", and the other is called the "terminal part". The edge formed by the incident end 3A is called the "end edge". Furthermore, the number of regions is set to N (N: a natural number greater than 2), and the regions from the incident end 3A toward the terminal part are sequentially called the first region R1, the second region R2, the third region R3, the fourth region R4, ..., the (N-1)th region R(N-1), and the Nth region RN. In addition, Figure 3 The dashed lines in the image are for the purpose of indicating the boundaries of each region R1 to RN of the switching mirror 3, and are not actually seen by the user.

[0054] Switching mirror 3 is divided, for example, into multiple regions R1 to RN arranged parallel to the end edges. Figure 3 In the case of a top view, the switching mirror 3 is rectangular and the multiple regions R1 to RN are rectangular, but it is not limited to this. For example, the switching mirror 3 and the multiple regions R1 to RN can also be parallelograms. The outline of these regions can be appropriately changed.

[0055] The switching mirror 3 has wiring 4, such as an FPC, connected to the transparent electrodes 32 and 34 (described later) in multiple regions R1 to RN, and is connected to the drive control circuit board 5 via the wiring 4. Thus, the switching mirror 3 can control the switching of the transparent / reflective states of each of the multiple regions R1 to RN. The circuit board 5 is, for example, an electronic control unit consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, etc. (not shown), mounted on a substrate with circuit wiring (not shown). CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O are abbreviations for Central Processing Unit, Read Only Memory, Random Access Memory, and Input / Output, respectively. The circuit board 5 is, for example, connected to any power source (not shown) and positioned on the other side 2b of the reflector 2. The circuit board 5 reads and executes a drive control program for the switching mirror 3 pre-stored in a recording medium (not shown), performing dimming control in the switching mirror 3.

[0056] For example, Figure 4 As shown, the switching mirror 3 includes a first transparent substrate 31, a first transparent electrode 32, a second reflective layer 33, a second transparent electrode 34, a second transparent substrate 35, and an anti-reflective layer 36. The switching mirror 3 is, for example, formed by sequentially stacking the first transparent substrate 31, the first transparent electrode 32, the second reflective layer 33, the second transparent electrode 34, and the second transparent substrate 35, and the anti-reflective layer 36 is formed on the opposing surface 3a opposite to the reflector 2 and on its opposite surface, the emission surface 3b.

[0057] The first transparent substrate 31 and the second transparent substrate 35 are made of any light-transmitting material such as glass or resin. The first transparent substrate 31 serves as a cover for the second reflective layer 33, and a first transparent electrode 32 is formed on the opposite side of the opposing surface 3a to the reflector 2. The second transparent substrate 35 serves as a base substrate for the second reflective layer 33, and a second transparent electrode 34 is formed on the surface opposite to the first transparent substrate 31. An anti-reflection layer 36 is formed on the opposing surface 3a of the first transparent substrate 31 and the emission surface 3b of the second transparent substrate 35. The anti-reflection layer 36 may be, for example, an anti-reflection film or a moth-eye structure formed directly on the transparent substrates 31 and 35, to prevent reflections on the surfaces of the transparent substrates 31 and 35, thereby suppressing noise generation caused by surface reflected light.

[0058] The first transparent electrode 32 and the second transparent electrode 34 are made of any conductive material with light transmittance, such as ITO (indium tin oxide), and are electrodes that transmit visible light. The first transparent electrode 32 and the second transparent electrode 34 are configured, for example, one or both of them to be a predetermined pattern shape divided by multiple regions R1 to RN, which enables the application of individual voltages in regions R1 to RN.

[0059] The second reflective layer 33, for example, is made of cholesterol-type liquid crystal, similar to the first reflective layer 22. It becomes transparent when a voltage is applied based on the transparent electrodes 32 and 34, and becomes reflective when not in this normal state. The second reflective layer 33, for example, is configured to reflect visible light with a specified or higher reflectivity (not limited, for example, 80% or higher) and not transmit light in the reflective state. For example, as... Figure 4 As shown, the second reflective layer 33 is designed to perform asymmetric reflection as follows: in the reflection state, it reflects either the external light L1 or the incident light L2 towards the reflector 2 at a first reflection angle φ (>θ), which is different from the first incident angle θ. Specifically, the second reflective layer 33, like the first reflective layer 22, has a periodic layer structure with repeatedly stacked liquid crystal layers oriented at an angle α relative to the plane formed by the opposing surface 3a, and having a predetermined refractive index modulation. For example, when the average refractive index of the first transparent substrate 31 and the second reflective layer 33 is n, the incident angle θ of the incident light L2 changes to θ0 through internal refraction, and the light with incident angle θ0 undergoes Bragg reflection at the inclined surface with an angle α inside the second reflective layer 33. At this time, sinθ / n=sinθ0 holds. Furthermore, in the switching mirror 3, the incident light L2 reflected by the second reflective layer 33 through Bragg has an internal reflection angle of φ0 = θ0 + 2α, and its external reflection angle when it exits towards the reflector 2 is a first reflection angle φ, which is larger than the first incident angle θ. Additionally, at this time, n × sin(θ0 + 2α) = n × sinφ0 = sinφ holds true.

[0060] Here, as Figure 4 As shown, the virtual straight line connecting the center of the incident light L2 and its reflected light on the inclined surface of the second reflective layer 33 at an angle α is defined as the inclined axis ax2, and the angle between the inclined axis ax2 and the thickness direction D1, i.e., the tilt angle, is defined as α2. The inclined axis ax2 can also be described as an axis along the normal direction relative to the inclined surface of the second reflective layer 33. At this time, the tilt angle α2 of the second reflective layer 33 is the same as the tilt angle α1, and the inclined axis ax2 is parallel to the tilt axis ax1. Thus, in the optical component 1, the first incident angle in the switching mirror 3 and the second reflection angle in the reflector 2 are the same θ, and the first reflection angle in the switching mirror 3 and the second incident angle in the reflector 2 are the same φ. Therefore, the optical component 1 is configured such that the incident light L2, whose angle has changed due to reflection by the switching mirror 3, is restored to the incident angle towards the switching mirror 3 through the asymmetric reflection of the reflector 2, which can ensure the continuity between the scene in the blind area seen by the user and the scene directly seen by the user.

[0061] For example, such as Figure 5As shown, by applying a voltage to control the second reflective layer 33, the arrangement of the liquid crystal material changes in the transparent state, resulting in a state where the refractive index is uniform within the layer and the aforementioned tilted surface is absent. "Uniform refractive index within the layer" means, for example, that the refractive index is uniform in all directions, such as the thickness direction D1, the light-guiding direction D2, and directions orthogonal to the light-guiding plane formed by them. Therefore, in the transparent state, the second reflective layer 33 allows the incident external light L1 or the incident light L2 reflected by the reflector 2 to be transmitted. Furthermore, regarding the transparent region in the switching mirror 3, the external light L1 or the incident light L2 reflected by the reflector 2 at an incident angle θ is refracted internally, transmitted through the second reflective layer 33, refracted again when exiting from the exit surface 3b, and emitted as the emitted light L3 at an angle θ.

[0062] During dimming control, at least one of the multiple regions R1 to RN is subjected to a voltage, and the region to which the voltage is applied becomes transparent, allowing visible light to pass through. Furthermore, the dimming control of the switching mirror 3 is performed as follows: at least one of the first region R1 to the Nth region RN is in a transparent state, all remaining regions are in a reflective state, and the regions are sequentially switched to the transparent state.

[0063] For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, at a certain timing, the first region R1 of the switching mirror 3 becomes transparent due to the application of voltage, while the remaining region becomes reflective. At this timing, the ambient light L1 incident on the first region R1 is transmitted through the first region R1 and emitted as the outgoing light L3. On the other hand, the ambient light L1 incident on other regions is reflected towards the reflector 2, and then repeatedly reflected by the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3, and guided in a direction different from the ambient light L1 reaching the first region R1. Furthermore, in... Figure 6 In the diagram, for ease of observation, solid lines represent the external light L1 incident on the transparent region of the switching mirror 3, and dashed lines represent the external light L1 incident on the reflected region and its reflected light. This is for... Figure 7 The same applies.

[0064] Additionally, switching mirror 3, for example... Figure 7 As shown, at other timings, the second region R2 switches from a reflective state to a transparent state by applying voltage, while the remaining regions become reflective. In other words, while the first region R1 switches from a transparent state to a reflective state, the second region R2 switches from a reflective state to a transparent state, and the other regions R3 to R1 remain in a reflective state. At this time, the ambient light L1 reaching the transparent state of the second region R2 is emitted from the second region R2 as the emitted light L3, and the ambient light L1 reaching the reflective state of the other regions is guided without being emitted from the switching mirror 3.

[0065] Then, switching mirror 3 sequentially switches one area at a time to become transparent, for example... Figure 8 As shown, at other timings, region N RN becomes transparent through voltage application, while the remaining regions become reflective. At this timing, the external light L1 is guided by the switching mirror 3 and the reflector 2. The incident light L2 reaching the transparent region N RN is directly emitted as the outgoing light L3, while light not reaching region N RN is guided in other directions. Furthermore, in... Figures 6-8 For ease of observation, a simplified structure is shown, omitting the refraction of light from the external light L1 or the incident light L2 within the reflector 2 or the switching mirror 3. The same applies to subsequent figures.

[0066] Thus, the switching mirror 3 performs the following dimming control: at least one of the multiple regions R1 to RN becomes transparent, while all other regions become reflective, and the transparent regions are changed sequentially. Therefore, the external light L1 incident between the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 is reflected with high reflectivity in the reflective region of the switching mirror 3, and emitted with high transmittance from the transparent region. Furthermore, by sequentially switching the transparent regions, the switching mirror 3 can emit either external light L1 or incident light L2 as emitted light L3 over a wide range, allowing the user to see the external scene in blind spots.

[0067] Furthermore, the area in which the external light L1 directly incident in the switching mirror 3, that is, the area from the incident end 3A to the designated position where the external light L1 incident, is called the "direct incident area". At this time, as... Figure 6 As shown, when the switching mirror 3 is configured to have multiple regions R1 and R2 in the direct incident area, the optical component 1 can also make only the regions included in the direct incident area transparent in the dimming control, and make all the remaining regions reflective. In this way, the optical component 1 can also set one or more regions to be transparent at a certain time according to the number of regions included in the direct incident area in the switching mirror 3 in the dimming control.

[0068] In addition, for example, Figure 9 As shown, the width of the light guide direction D2 in the directly incident region is set as D. L1 Let P be the width of the light guiding direction D2 in multiple regions R1 to RN. For example, the optical component 1 can also have a width P equal to D. L1 In other words, optical component 1 can also be adjusted according to the width D of the direct incident area. L1 This determines the width P and the number of regions for each region of switching mirror 3. In D L1In the case of P, optical component 1 sets only one of the multiple regions R1 to RN to a transparent state in the dimming control, while setting all other regions to a reflective state, and then sequentially switches the transparent regions. On the other hand, as described above, in D... L1 In the case of >P, when the direct incident area contains k regions (k: an integer greater than 2), in dimming control, D is made... L1 Multiple regions of ≒k×P can be made transparent at once, while the remaining regions become reflective. Through this dimming control, at a certain timing, one or more regions located in the direct incident area can simultaneously become transparent or reflective, thus improving the light guiding efficiency in reflector 2 and switching mirror 3.

[0069] The above describes the basic structure of optical component 1. Compared to the structure that uses a pair of mirrors to guide a portion of the external light L1 and the incident light L2 through positive reflection (hereinafter referred to as the "comparative example"), optical component 1 can shorten the distance between a pair of mirrors, that is, it can achieve a thinner profile.

[0070] Specifically, for example, such as Figure 10 As shown, the comparative example has a pair of mirrors 100 and 110. A portion of the external light L1 is reflected positively by the semi-transparent mirror 110, and this positively reflected light is reflected positively by the mirror 100. Furthermore, in the comparative example, another portion of the external light L1, or the positively reflected light, is emitted outward from the semi-transparent mirror 110. Here, the pair of mirrors 100 and 110 are arranged in parallel, and their distance, i.e., the thickness of the optical components of the comparative example, is set to T0. The angle of incidence and the angle of reflection of light to the pair of mirrors are set to θ. If the width of the light traveling along the plane formed by the mirrors 100 when it travels back and forth once between the pair of mirrors 100 and 110 is set to the round-trip width W, then W is 2T0tanθ.

[0071] In addition, such as Figure 10 As shown, the width of the direct incident region in the semi-transparent mirror 110, starting from one end in the light guiding direction D2, is set as the direct incident width D. L1 Let X be the width of the semi-transparent mirror 110 in the same direction. Let D be the direct incident width. L1 The width at which the ambient light L1 is captured within the optical component affects the average brightness of the light emitted from the semi-transparent mirror 110. For example, in a comparative example, when the efficiency of reflection and transmission is set to 100%, the average brightness of the emitted light L3, in terms of real-world contrast, is D. L1 / X. The aspect ratio refers to the ratio of the brightness of the scene seen through the emitted light L3 to the brightness of the scene seen without optical components. Additionally, in the direct incident width D... L1When it is consistent with the reciprocating width W, there is no loss of light in the comparative example, so light can be guided most efficiently and becomes the above-mentioned average brightness.

[0072] In contrast, the optical component 1 is configured such that light incident on the switching mirror 3 at an incident angle θ is reflected at a reflection angle φ, and light incident on the reflecting mirror 2 at an incident angle φ is reflected at a reflection angle θ. Here, for example, as Figure 11 shown, the distance traveled along the light guiding direction D2 when light travels back and forth between the switching mirror 3 and the reflecting mirror 2 once, that is, the reciprocating width, is set to W, which is the same as that in the comparative example. In addition, at this time, the distance in the thickness direction D1 between the first reflection layer 22 of the reflecting mirror 2 and the second reflection layer 33 of the switching mirror 3, that is, the thickness, is set to T. In addition, the width of the direct incidence region starting from the incident end portion 3A in the switching mirror 3 is set to D, which is the same as that in the comparative example L1 , and the width of the switching mirror 3 in the light guiding direction D2 is set to X, which is the same as that in the comparative example. At this time, W = T(tanθ + tanφ) = 2T0tanθ, but as described above, φ > θ, so (tanθ + tanφ) > 2tanθ and T < T0 holds. That is, the optical component 1 has a structure in which asymmetric reflection occurs in the reflecting mirror 2 and the switching mirror 3, and thus, compared with the comparative example in which light is specularly reflected by the pair of reflecting mirrors 100 and 110, it has a thinner structure. In addition, since the direct incidence width D L1 in the switching mirror 3 is the same as that in the comparative example, the average brightness of the emitted light L3 is maintained at the same level or higher than that in the comparative example.

[0073] Next, a preferred dimming control will be described. Let the temporal resolution of human vision be C (unit: Hz), and the time required for the switching control to make each of the regions from the first region R1 to the Nth region RN become a transparent state once be the "overall switching time". At this time, the switching mirror 3 preferably sets the overall switching time to S (unit: sec), and in the dimming control, S < 1 / C is satisfied.

[0074] Let the time for each of the regions R1 to RN to become a transparent state by applying a voltage once be the "transparent time", and the overall switching time S refers to the total time of the transparent times of the entire region. That is, the dimming control preferably performs the overall switching time in a time (for example, 1 / 30 seconds or less) that is below the temporal resolution of human vision. For example, the overall switching time S of the switching mirror 3 is preferably 1 / 30 seconds or less, and more preferably 1 / 60 seconds or less. Thus, the switching mirror 3 becomes a state in which the overall switching of the transparent state / reflection state in the multiple regions R1 to RN is not recognized by the user, that is, a state in which discomfort caused by the dimming control is not felt. In addition, through the above dimming control, the switching mirror 3 enables the user to see the transmitted light of each of the multiple regions R1 to RN, that is, the external scene under the transmitted light of the entire emission surface 3b.

[0075] Switching mirror 3 can individually control the transparency time of each of the multiple regions R1 to RN by changing the application time of the voltage in each region. For example, if the transparency time of the first region R1, the second region R2, ... the Kth region RK, ... the (N-1)th region R(N-1), and the Nth region RN are set to t1, t2, ... t... K ...t (N-1) t N Then the full switching time S is represented by the following equation (1). Additionally, K is an integer from 1 to N, and the transparency time t1 to t2 is... N The power-on time is roughly the same in each area.

[0076]

[0077] Alternatively, for example, the reflectivity of mirror 2 can be set to R. f Set the reflectivity of the switching mirror 3 in the reflection state to R. m Let the transmittance in the transparent state be T. m The light intensity in the first region R1 to the Nth region RN is set to I1~I N At this time, the light intensity I1 in the first region R1, the light intensity I2 in the second region R2, and the light intensity I in the Nth region RN are... N They are represented by the following equations (2) to (4).

[0078] I1 = T m ×t1 / S…(2)

[0079] I2 = R m ×R f ×T m ·t2 / S…(3)

[0080] I N =R m (N-1) ×R f (N-1) ×T m ×t N / S…(4)

[0081] That is, the transparency time t1~t N The length of the transparency is proportional to the brightness of the view as seen by the user in each of the first region R1 to the Nth region RN. In other words, by appropriately changing the transparency time t1 to t2... N This enables the light intensity I1 to I in the first region R1 to the Nth region RN to be increased. N Equal. For example, if we want the light intensity of the first region R1 and the second region R2 to be equal, we can satisfy the following equations (5) and (6).

[0082] I2=I1×Rm ×R f ×t2 / t1…(5)

[0083] t2=t1 / (R m ×R f …(6)

[0084] The same relationship applies to regions after the third region R3. Therefore, if we want the light intensity I3 in the third region R3 to be equal to the light intensity in the first region R1 and the second region R2, we can satisfy the following equations (7) and (8).

[0085] I3=I2×R m ×R f ×t3 / t2=I1×R m 2 ×R f 2 ×t3 / t1…(7)

[0086] t3=t1 / (R m 2 ×R f 2 …(8)

[0087] Similarly, to maximize the light intensity I in region N, RN N If the light intensity is equal to that in the first region R1 to the (N-1)th region R(N-1), the following equations (9) and (10) need to be satisfied.

[0088] I N =I (N-1) ×R m ×R f ×t N / t (N-1) =I1×R m (N-1) ×R f (N-1) ×t N / t1…(9)

[0089] t N =t1 / (R) m (N-1) ×R f (N-1) …(10)

[0090] By performing dimming control that satisfies equation (10), the amount of light emitted in each region of region R1 to RN becomes equal, which can make the brightness of the view seen by the user uniform.

[0091] According to this embodiment, the optical component 1 is configured as follows: it has a reflector 2 and a switching mirror 3 arranged in parallel. The switching mirror 3 is capable of switching between a transparent state of transmitted light and a reflected state of reflected light. The reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 reflect light asymmetrically. In the optical component 1, the switching mirror 3 emits a portion of the external light L1 or incident light L2 with an incident angle θ from the emission surface 3b, and reflects the other portion with a reflection angle φ (>θ). The reflector 2 reflects the incident light L2 with an incident angle φ with a reflection angle θ. In the optical component 1, multiple regions R1 to RN of the switching mirror 3 switch between transparent and reflected states in a time-division manner. There is no region on the emission surface 3b that does not emit light, and patterned light is not emitted from the emission surface 3b. Therefore, the reduction in the visibility of the external scene seen by the user can be suppressed. In addition, the optical component 1 is configured such that, since the angles of the incident light and the reflected light in the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 are different, the distance traveled by light between the reflector and the switching mirror is increased compared to the case of orthographic reflection. Therefore, optical component 1 can shorten the distance between reflector 2 and switching mirror 3 based on the increase in the distance traveled by light during one round trip between reflector 2 and switching mirror 3, thus achieving a thinner profile. Furthermore, in optical component 1, the angle of light transmitted through switching mirror 3 is the same as the angle of incidence towards switching mirror 3, and the reflected light, asymmetrically reflected by switching mirror 3, is restored to its original angle of incidence through asymmetrical reflection in reflector 2. This ensures the continuity of the view in the blind spot area and the external scenery for the user.

[0092] (Second Implementation)

[0093] The optical component 1 of the second embodiment will be described. Figure 12 , Figure 13 It is equivalent to Figure 1 A sectional view.

[0094] For example, such as Figure 12 As shown, the optical component 1 in this embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment described above in that the area through which the user can see the outside world is designated as the visual confirmation area RV, and the switching mirror 3 is not configured in the terminal area RVN within the visual confirmation area RV. In this embodiment, this difference will be the main focus of the explanation.

[0095] In this embodiment, such as Figure 12As shown, the switching mirror 3 is configured such that one end protrudes from the reflector 2 in the light guiding direction D2, and this end becomes the incident end 3A. For example, when viewed from above, the terminal portion of the switching mirror 3 on the side opposite to the incident end 3A is positioned inside the outer contour of the reflector 2, and is not located in the region RVN (described later) in the visual confirmation area RV, which is the furthest point from the incident end 3A. In this embodiment, the switching mirror 3 is, for example, divided into (N-1) regions R1 to R(N-1), which is one less than the number of divisions in the visual confirmation area RV. The switching mirror 3 is, for example, as... Figure 13 As shown, when emitted light L3 is emitted into a region other than region RVN within the visual confirmation region RV, at least one of regions R1 to R(N-1) is controlled to be in a transparent state. Furthermore, the switching mirror 3, for example, Figure 14 As shown, when incident light L2 is emitted into region RVN, no voltage is applied, and regions R1 to R(N-1) all become reflective. That is, in this embodiment, the switching mirror 3, except for the fact that it is not energized when light is emitted into region RVN, performs the same dimming control as in the first embodiment for regions R1 to R(N-1) which are one or more fewer than in the first embodiment. As a result, the optical component 1 has a structure that simplifies dimming control and is miniaturized in the light guiding direction D2 compared to the first embodiment.

[0096] The visual confirmation area RV is the area where the user can see the outside scene through the emitted light L3 emitted via the switching mirror 3 or the incident light L2 reflected by the reflector 2 that is emitted without passing through the switching mirror 3. The visual confirmation area RV is divided into N regions RV1 to RVN, for example, starting from the incident end 3A side, such as the first region RV1, the second region RV2, ... the (N-1)th region RV(N-1), the Nth region RVN. The multiple regions RV1 to RVN have approximately equal widths in the light guiding direction D2, and each emits light with a different number of round trips between the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3. Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, the number of round trips of light between the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 will be referred to as the "round trip number".

[0097] For example, in the first region RV1, the external light L1 reaching the transparent state of the first region R1 in the switching mirror 3, i.e., light with zero round trips, is emitted as the outgoing light L3, allowing the user to see the external scene. For example, in the second region RV2, the incident light L2 reaching the transparent state of the second region R2 in the switching mirror 3, i.e., light with one round trip, is emitted as the outgoing light L3, allowing the user to see the external scene. For example, in the (N-1)th region RV(N-1), the incident light L2 reaching the transparent state of the (N-1)th region R(N-1) in the switching mirror 3, i.e., light with (N-2) round trips, is emitted as the outgoing light L3, allowing the user to see the external scene. Furthermore, in the Nth region RVN, for example...Figure 14 As shown, the incident light L2, with a round trip count of (N-1), passes through the area without the switching mirror 3 and is emitted as the outgoing light L3, allowing the user to see the outside scene. Furthermore, in the above description, the widths of the multiple regions R1 to R(N-1) of the switching mirror 3 along the light guiding direction, the widths of each region of the visual confirmation area RV, and the direct incident width D are considered. L1 The example given is a case where the round-trip width (W) is consistent. However, even in cases where this is not the case, the optical component 1 can be configured without the switching mirror 3 in the area of ​​the visual confirmation region RV where light is emitted in round-trip times (N-1). For example, the optical component 1 can be configured without the switching mirror 3 in the area of ​​the direct incident width D. L1 In the case of m regions R1 to Rm with switching mirror 3, as long as the switching mirror 3 is not configured in region RVN at the end of the visual confirmation region RV, the dimming control can be simplified as described above.

[0098] According to this embodiment, in addition to the same effects as the first embodiment described above, since the switching mirror 3 is not provided in the Nth region RVN, which is furthest from the incident end 3A in the visual confirmation region RV, the optical component 1 becomes an optical component 1 with simplified dimming control and miniaturization compared to the first embodiment described above.

[0099] (Third Implementation)

[0100] The optical component 1 of the third embodiment will be described. Figure 15 In the middle, it is shown that is equivalent to Figure 1 The cross-section is shown, and a simplified version of the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 are shown for easy observation.

[0101] The optical component 1 in this embodiment is, for example, as shown in the example... Figure 15 As shown, this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it also includes a light guide 6 for mounting the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3. This difference will be the primary focus of this description.

[0102] The light guide 6 is made of any light-transmitting material, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyethylene, acrylic resin, or glass. In this embodiment, the light guide 6 is separate from the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3. For example, the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 are attached to each other using an optical adhesive such as an optically transparent adhesive (OCA) (not shown). Figure 15As shown, the light guide 6 has a first surface 6a as a smooth surface and a second surface 6b as a smooth surface parallel to the first surface 6a. For example, a reflector 2 is bonded to a portion of the first surface 6a, and a switching mirror 3 is bonded to a portion of the second surface 6b. In the light guide 6, a defined area from one end of the first surface 6a is exposed from the reflector 2, and this exposed area becomes the incident portion 6aa, which allows external light L1 to enter the interior. In the light guide 6, a defined area from the end opposite to the incident portion 6aa of the second surface 6b is exposed from the switching mirror 3, and this exposed area becomes the exit portion 6ba, which allows incident light L2 to exit to the outside without passing through the switching mirror 3. Furthermore, the light guide 6 only needs to have parallel first surfaces 6a and second surfaces 6b, and the shape of other parts can be appropriately modified within a range that does not obstruct the guiding of the incident light L2 inside.

[0103] 6aa of the incident part Figure 15 As shown, the width in the light guiding direction D2 is defined as Di, and the distance in the thickness direction D1 between the first surface 6a and the second surface 6b in the light guide 6 is defined as T, where Di = T(tanθ1 + tanφ1). That is, the width Di of the incident portion 6aa is equivalent to the round-trip width W in the first and second embodiments described above. Figure 16 As shown, θ1 is the angle of incidence of the incident light L2 (after the incident light L1, which is incident at an angle of incidence θ, is refracted inside the light guide 6 with a refractive index of n) towards the switching mirror 3. φ1 is the angle of reflection of the incident light L2, which is incident at an angle of incidence θ1, after being reflected by the switching mirror 3 in a reflected state, and is greater than θ1. Furthermore, the first surface 6a, for example, is defined as the area with a width Di from one end as the incident part 6aa, and all remaining areas are covered by the reflector 2.

[0104] Let X be the maximum number of round trips of the incident light L2 between the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3. The emission section 6ba is the region that emits the incident light L2 with the Xth round trip without passing through the switching mirror 3. For example, the width of the emission section 6ba in the light guiding direction D2 is set to Do, so that Do≤Di.

[0105] Furthermore, the switching mirror 3 is, for example, divided into multiple regions R1 to R(N-1) corresponding to regions RV1 to RVN, which constitute the visual confirmation region RV of the optical component 1, excluding the last region RVN. Also, the optical component 1 is configured similarly to the second embodiment, such that the switching mirror 3 is not disposed in the Nth region RVN, and the emission portion 6ba of the light guide 6 corresponds to the Nth region RVN.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 have the same refractive index as the light guide 6. As a result, in the optical component 1, the incident light L2 incident on the light guide 6 is not reflected at the interface between the light guide 6 and the reflector 2 or the switching mirror 3, which can suppress noise caused by reflected light at this interface.

[0107] According to this embodiment, in addition to the same effect as the second embodiment described above, since the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 are respectively arranged on the parallel first surface 6a and second surface 6b in the light guide 6, it becomes an optical component 1 that can stably ensure the parallel state of the pair of reflectors.

[0108] Furthermore, while the above description describes an optical component 1 in which the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 are attached to the light guide 6 using an optical adhesive (not shown), the description is not limited to this. For example, such as... Figure 17 As shown, the reflector 2 can also replace the transparent substrate 21 by using a light guide 6 as the supporting substrate for the first reflective layer 22, and is composed of the light guide 6, the first reflective layer 22, and a light-shielding substrate 23. Alternatively, for example... Figure 18 As shown, the switching mirror 3 can also be a light guide 6 used as the support substrate for the second reflective layer 33 instead of the first transparent substrate 31, with the first transparent electrode 32, the second reflective layer 33, the second transparent electrode 34, and the second transparent substrate 35 stacked on the light guide 6. That is, the reflector 2 and the switching mirror 3 can be manufactured separately from the light guide 6 and mounted on the light guide 6, or they can be formed directly on the first surface 6a and the second surface 6b of the light guide 6. In addition, in order to suppress noise caused by external light from the second surface 6b side being reflected on the second surface 6b, the optical component 1 can also form an anti-reflection layer in the emission portion 6ba. Furthermore, in the above description, an example in which the switching mirror 3 is not arranged in the terminal area of ​​the second surface 6b has been given, but it is not limited to this, and the optical component 1 can also arrange the switching mirror 3 in the entire area of ​​the second surface 6b.

[0109] (Other implementation methods)

[0110] This disclosure has been described with reference to embodiments, but it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to those embodiments or constructions. This disclosure also includes various modifications and equivalent variations. In addition, various combinations or forms, as well as other combinations or forms including only one element therein, or including more or less elements therein, also fall within the scope or spirit of this disclosure.

[0111] The control unit (e.g., circuit board 5) and method described in this disclosure can also be implemented using a dedicated computer, which is provided by comprising a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. Alternatively, the control unit and method described in this disclosure can also be implemented using a dedicated computer provided by comprising a processor composed of one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control unit and method described in this disclosure can also be implemented using one or more dedicated computers, which are configured by combining a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions with a processor composed of one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program can also be stored as instructions to be executed by the computer on a computer-readable non-transferable tangible recording medium.

[0112] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the elements constituting the embodiment are not necessarily essential, except where they are specifically stated to be necessary or are clearly considered necessary in principle. Also, in the above-described embodiments, when referring to the number, value, quantity, range, etc., of the constituent elements of the embodiment, they are not limited to that specific number, except where they are specifically stated to be necessary or are clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc., of the constituent elements, they are not limited to that shape, positional relationship, etc., except where they are specifically stated or are limited to a specific shape or positional relationship in principle.

Claims

1. An optical component, characterized in that, have: A reflector having a first reflective layer for reflecting light; and A switching mirror has a second reflective layer capable of switching between a transparent state that allows light to pass through and a reflective state that reflects light, and is arranged parallel to the reflective mirror. The normal direction relative to the plane formed by the reflector or the switching mirror is defined as the thickness direction; the angle between the direction of travel of the incident light incident on the reflector or the switching mirror and the thickness direction is defined as the incident angle; and the angle between the direction of travel of the reflected light reflected by the reflector or the switching mirror and the thickness direction is defined as the reflection angle. The first reflective layer has a first inclined surface that is tilted relative to the plane formed by the reflector, and the axis along the normal direction relative to the first inclined surface is the first inclined axis. The second reflective layer has a second inclined surface that is tilted relative to the plane formed by the switching mirror, and the axis along the normal direction relative to the second inclined surface is the second inclined axis. The switching mirror sets the incident angle of the incident light to θ, causing the reflected light to be reflected at a reflection angle φ greater than θ. The reflector reflects incident light at an angle of incidence φ with a reflection angle θ because the first tilt axis is parallel to the second tilt axis.

2. The optical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second reflective layer is composed of cholesterol-type liquid crystal.

3. The optical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first reflective layer is composed of cholesterol-type liquid crystal.

4. The optical component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The reflector has an anti-reflective layer on the side opposite to the switching mirror.

5. The optical component according to claim 3, characterized in that, The switching mirror has an anti-reflective layer on its opposing surface, which is opposite to the reflector.

6. The optical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching mirror is divided into multiple regions. In the second reflective layer, one of the multiple regions is sequentially switched to a transparent state, and the remaining regions, which are different from the region that is set to a transparent state, become reflective states.

7. The optical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The area from which light is emitted via the switching mirror or the reflector, and the area from which the user can visually confirm the external view, is defined as the visual confirmation area. The end of the switching mirror from which the external view light enters is defined as the incident end. The visual confirmation area is divided into N regions, where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2. The switching mirror is not located in the Nth region, which is the region furthest from the incident end, within the visual confirmation area.

8. The optical component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, It also includes a light guide, which is made of a light-transmitting material and has a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface. The reflector is disposed on the first surface. The switching mirror is disposed on the second surface.

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