Reflection assembly and reflection device for a head-up display, bearing mount, head-up display and motor vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reflection assembly (50) for a head-up display, in particular for a windscreen head-up display, for reflecting radiation emitted by an image generation unit, a reflection device (100), a bearing mount (15B) therefor, and also a head-up display and a vehicle, wherein the reflection assembly (50) comprises a reflection element (11) having a reflection side (22) and a back side (23), wherein the reflection element (11) is movably couplable to a carrier (17, 20) by means of at least one bearing (12A, 12B), in such a way that the reflection element (11) is relatively pivotable about a first axis (A) vis-à-vis the carrier (17, 20), wherein the reflection assembly (50) comprises a prestressing apparatus (29) having a torsion spring element (24) for creating a prestress in the bearing (12A, 12B) in order to keep the reflection element (11) in a defined position, and wherein the torsion spring element (24) is arranged such that a torsion spring centre axis (DZ) runs parallel to and with a lateral offset at a defined distance (d) from the first axis (A).

Description

[0001] Reflection assembly and reflection device for a head-up display, bearing support, head-up display and motor vehicle

[0002] The present invention relates to a reflection assembly for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, for reflecting radiation emitted by an image generation unit. The reflection assembly comprises a reflection element having a reflection side and a rear side arranged on the side facing away from the reflection side. The reflection element can be movably coupled to a carrier by means of at least one bearing such that the reflection element, when coupled to the carrier, can be pivoted about at least a first axis relative to the carrier. At least one bearing comprises at least two parts: a bearing pin and a bearing receptacle.The bearing receptacle is designed to at least partially accommodate the bearing journal, and one of the parts, the bearing journal or the bearing receptacle, is fastened to the reflective element, and the other, the bearing receptacle or the bearing journal, is attachable to the carrier. The reflective assembly further comprises a preload device with a torsion spring element for generating a preload in the bearing to hold the reflective element in a defined position.

[0003] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a reflection device, in particular a mirror device, for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, for reflecting radiation emitted by an image generation unit.

[0004] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a bearing receptacle for supporting a reflection element of a reflection device for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display.

[0005] The present invention further relates to a head-up display, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising an image generation unit for emitting light rays to generate an image, and comprising at least one reflection device for reflecting the light rays emitted by the image generation unit.

[0006] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle having a head-up display. Reflection assemblies and reflection devices for head-up displays and head-up displays in general, in particular for motor vehicles, are generally known from the prior art. Head-up displays typically comprise an image generation unit that generates an image, as well as a reflection device for projecting this image, for example, onto a combiner as a type of screen or directly onto a windshield of the motor vehicle. The image is preferably projected in the line of sight of a driver of the motor vehicle, in particular such that the driver can see the projected image when looking at the combiner or the windshield without moving their head and / or without changing their line of sight.

[0007] Due to the different sizes and proportions of different drivers, it is advantageous if the position of the projection can be changed in such a way that the projection can be adapted to different drivers or drivers of different sizes. For this purpose, head-up displays often comprise a mirror arranged in a beam path or in an optical path of the image generation unit, which is movably mounted, in particular pivotable about a generally approximately horizontal first axis. Such a mounting enables easy adjustment of the inclination of the mirror. In many cases, an actuator device is provided for adjusting the mirror and thus for adapting the position of the projected image to a so-called "eyebox" of a driver.

[0008] To project high-quality images, especially sharp and clear images, onto the combiner or windshield and thus into the driver's field of vision, the support of the reflective element or mirror as well as the design of the bearings by means of which the reflective element or mirror can be pivoted are crucial.

[0009] Head-up displays with movable, particularly pivoting mirrors are generally known from the state of the art, for example from FR 3 023 926,

[0010] US 2019 / 0219823 A1 , US 2020 / 0338944 A1 or DE 10 2020 132 549 A1 , wherein various designs of head-up displays are known, in particular different designs and arrangements with regard to the pivotable mounting. In some designs known from the prior art, pretensioning devices are provided to improve the mounting of the reflection element, wherein various designs of pretensioning devices are known, for example from EP 3 926 380 A1 , US 2021 / 0080718 A1 or JP 201167872A. The pretensioning devices disclosed therein differ in particular in the type, design and arrangement of the pretensioning means used, in particular in the type and design of the spring elements used, and thus in particular in the type of generation as well as in the type of transmission and / or application of the generated pretensioning force.

[0011] Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative reflection assembly, preferably a reflection assembly with an improved mounting of the reflection element, in particular a reflection assembly with which a preload can be applied to at least one bearing in a particularly simple and advantageous manner.

[0012] Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative, in particular an improved, reflection device, an alternative, in particular an improved bearing mount, and an alternative, in particular an improved, head-up display with a reflection assembly or device. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an alternative, in particular improved, motor vehicle with a head-up display.

[0013] These objects are achieved by a reflection assembly, a reflection device, a bearing mount, a head-up display, and a motor vehicle having the features according to the respective independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent patent claims, the description, and the figures. The wording of the claims is incorporated into the description by express reference.

[0014] As already explained above, a reflection assembly according to the present invention is designed in particular for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, and is configured to reflect radiation emitted by an image generation unit. The reflection assembly comprises in particular a reflection element which has a reflection side and a rear side, wherein the rear side is arranged on the side facing away from the reflection side. The reflection element can be movably coupled to a carrier by means of at least one bearing such that the reflection element, when coupled to the carrier, can be pivoted about at least a first axis relative to the carrier. At least one bearing comprises at least two parts: a bearing pin and a bearing receptacle, wherein the bearing receptacle is designed to at least partially receive the bearing pin.One of the parts, the bearing journal or the bearing support, is attached to the reflective element, and the other part, the bearing support or the bearing journal, can be attached to the support. The reflective assembly further comprises a preload device with a torsion spring element for generating a preload in at least one bearing to hold the reflective element in a defined position.

[0015] A reflection assembly according to the invention is characterized in that the torsion spring element is arranged such that a torsion spring center axis runs parallel and laterally offset from the first axis at a defined distance.

[0016] A "torsion spring element" within the meaning of the invention is, in particular, a spring element designed to generate a torsional stress, in particular a torsional stress, about a torsion spring's central axis. An example of a simple and particularly advantageous torsion spring element is, for example, a helical spring with two legs extending radially away from the torsion spring's central axis.

[0017] With the aid of a torsion spring element designed and arranged in this way, a preload can be applied to the bearing in a particularly simple manner, in particular for securing the bearing journal in the bearing receptacle. Such a torsion spring element enables, in particular, the provision of a reflection assembly with a small space requirement for a preloaded bearing. With a correspondingly suitable design of the torsion spring element and / or the at least one bearing, further preloading means, such as, for example, further spring elements for applying an axial preload in the direction of the first axis, can be dispensed with, at least in some cases. At least one bearing of the reflection assembly can, in particular, be arranged on the rear side of the reflection element in such a way that the first axis runs completely behind the rear side of the reflection element.This not only allows for smaller lateral dimensions, but also for a reflection assembly without any visible connection interfaces or bearings in the optical chamber.

[0018] Furthermore, by arranging the first axis entirely on the back of the reflection element, i.e., with a first axis that does not (virtually) penetrate or pierce the reflection element, a small lever can be achieved from the center of gravity of the reflection element to the first axis. This is advantageous with regard to the vibration behavior of the reflection element.

[0019] A "reflective element" according to the present invention is an element, in particular a component or a group of assembled components, which is designed to reflect and / or influence radiation, for example to change a direction, in particular of light or of one or more light rays, and thereby in particular of one or more parts of an image or of an image as a whole.

[0020] A "carrier" according to the invention is preferably a supporting structure. A carrier within the meaning of the present invention can, in particular, be coupled to a housing or attached to a housing, in particular to a housing of a head-up display. Alternatively, the carrier can be formed by a housing or by part of a housing, for example, by the housing of a head-up display. Consequently, a reflection element of a reflection device according to the present invention or of a reflection element assembly can, for example, be coupled directly to a housing of a head-up display, with the housing being the "carrier," or via a separate, receiving or supporting structure, in which case the separate, receiving or supporting structure is the "carrier."

[0021] According to the present invention, the "reflection side" of the reflection element is that side of the reflection element, in particular that surface of the reflection element, which is designed to reflect and / or influence the radiation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reflection assembly can be particularly adapted and designed to reflect or optically influence an image generated by an image generation unit. The image can, for example, contain one or more navigation information items, vehicle speed information, or any other information that might be of interest to a driver of a vehicle, as is known from the prior art.

[0022] The reflection assembly may be adapted and configured for use in a head-up display including a combiner, wherein the reflection assembly may be configured to project an image onto the combiner. Additionally or alternatively, the reflection assembly may be adapted and configured for use in a windshield head-up display, in which case the reflection assembly is configured to project an image onto the windshield.

[0023] Both types of head-up displays, head-up displays with combiners and windshield head-up displays, are generally known from the prior art, to which reference is hereby made for further details on general design and / or functionality aspects of such head-up displays.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of a reflective assembly according to the present invention, the first axis can be a horizontal axis based on a usage state of the reflective assembly, in particular with respect to an installation state in a vehicle. The reflective element can be tilted by means of a first, horizontally oriented axis, for example, to align the reflective element with a windshield of a motor vehicle, in particular with the inclination of the windshield.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of a reflection device according to the present invention, the reflection element is preferably a mirror element, in particular a concave mirror element having a concave reflection side. For minimal weight and minimal installation space requirements, the reflection element is preferably shaped as a thin shield. Additionally, only the reflection side or the entire reflection element can be curved, whereby the curvature can, in particular, correspond to the curvature of the windshield of the vehicle for which the reflection device is intended. The reflection element can, in particular, be a so-called "freeform" reflection element having a concave shape with a non-constant radius. The reflection element can, in particular, be designed as a magnifying mirror.

[0026] In a very advantageous embodiment of a reflection device according to the present invention, the first axis can be aligned in particular parallel to a main optical axis of the reflection element.

[0027] The outer edge of the reflective element can be substantially rectangular, so that the reflective element has, in particular, a substantially rectangular outer contour. Alternatively, the outer edge can have a different shape, for example, a trapezoidal, oval, or elliptical shape, or a cuboid shape.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, the reflection element can contain glass or be made of glass. A reflection element made of glass, such as a glass mirror, has the advantage of having better optical quality and being more stable over a temperature range compared to a reflection element made of plastic. Furthermore, using glass as the reflection element material allows for smaller mirror thicknesses.

[0029] However, in some cases, an alternative configuration of the reflection assembly comprising a reflection element made at least partially or entirely of plastic may be more advantageous, for example when a lower image projection quality is sufficient or when a target weight of the reflection assembly cannot be achieved with a reflection element made of glass.

[0030] The reflective element may comprise a coating, in particular a reflective coating, which may be a metal coating or a metal-containing coating. This allows advantageous reflection and / or projection properties to be achieved. In an advantageous embodiment of a reflective assembly according to the present invention, the reflective side of the reflective element may be a uniform or smooth surface, i.e., a surface free of any protrusion and / or depression. This allows advantageous reflection and / or projection properties to be achieved.

[0031] In an advantageous embodiment of a reflective assembly according to the present invention, the back of the reflective element can additionally or alternatively be a uniform or smooth surface. This allows for easy manufacturing of the reflective element. In particular, no manufacturing steps for producing any projection or recess are required.

[0032] In a further embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, particularly in an advantageous embodiment, the bearing pin and / or the bearing receptacle of at least one bearing are each immovably attached or can be attached to the reflection element or the support, respectively. This allows the rigidity of the bearing to be improved in a simple manner, which in turn has a beneficial effect on the projection quality.

[0033] In a further embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in an advantageous embodiment, the reflection element can be rotatably coupled to a carrier by at least two bearings, in particular by a first bearing and a second bearing, wherein each bearing in particular has a kinematic point and the kinematic points of the bearings define the first axis about which the reflection element, when coupled to the carrier, can be pivoted relative to the carrier about the first axis. In particular, the first bearing and the second bearing each comprise two parts: a bearing journal and a bearing receptacle, wherein the bearing receptacle is each designed to at least partially receive the bearing journal, and wherein one of the parts, the bearing journal or the bearing receptacle, is fastened to the reflection element and the other part, the bearing receptacle or the bearing journal, can be fastened to the carrier.This allows for a particularly advantageous mounting of the reflective element. A "kinematic point of a bearing" within the meaning of the present invention is, in particular, the point of the associated bearing to which a real movement in the bearing can be reduced or idealized with sufficient accuracy, for example, for simulation purposes.

[0034] In such a configuration, the bearing pin and / or the bearing receptacle of both bearings are preferably fixedly attached or can be fixed to the reflection element or the support. This allows for a particularly high rigidity of the reflection element's mounting and thus particularly good projection quality.

[0035] In a particularly advantageous embodiment according to the present invention, at least the bearing receptacle of the first bearing and the second bearing and / or the bearing journals are at least partially identical, in particular completely identical, i.e. the same. This makes it possible to reduce the number of identical parts in the reflection device and thus the number of different components, which has an advantageous effect on the complexity of the reflection device and on the costs. In particular, the first bearing receptacle and the second bearing receptacle can be identical and / or the first bearing and the second bearing. In principle, however, only the bearing journals can be at least partially identical and the bearing receptacles different. However, it is particularly advantageous if the first bearing and the second bearing are identical.

[0036] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, the bearing journal of at least one bearing, in particular the bearing journal of both the first bearing and the bearing journal of the second bearing, has an at least partially convex spherical, ball-shaped and / or hemispherical outer surface or a spherical end or a spherical surface or the like as a bearing surface. This allows for particularly good and simple guidance of the bearing journal in the bearing receptacle, in particular good three-dimensional guidance, and thus advantageous mounting of the reflection element. This, in turn, allows for good projection quality.The use of such a shaped bearing journal (and a correspondingly designed bearing mount), in particular the use of a spherical bearing journal, enables a particularly compact and space-saving design of the bearing. Furthermore, this makes it possible to provide a bearing that requires very few parts and can therefore be manufactured particularly easily and cost-effectively. In particular, such a bearing can be used to easily restrict the movement of the bearing journal in several degrees of freedom in space simultaneously.

[0037] The use of a torsion spring element according to the present invention in combination with a spherical bearing journal enables a particularly advantageous and simple design of a bearing for supporting the reflective element. In particular, good guidance of the bearing journal in the bearing receptacle can be achieved, wherein the torsion spring element arranged and designed according to the invention can be used to apply a preload to the bearing in a particularly simple manner, so that the bearing journal can be guided in the bearing receptacle, in particular without play. With an appropriately selected spring stiffness of the torsion spring element and a correspondingly suitably selected preload, a play-free and thus low-vibration, or in some cases even vibration-free, mounting of the reflective element can be achieved, particularly under the conditions occurring in a vehicle during ferry operation.This in turn makes it possible to achieve a particularly high image quality of the projected image.

[0038] A particularly advantageous bearing arrangement can be achieved if the bearing receptacle has, in particular, an at least partially concave spherical, hollow spherical and / or hollow hemispherical inner surface or a hollow spherical end or a hollow spherical surface or the like as a bearing surface, against which the bearing journal in particular can at least partially bear with its outer surface. This makes it possible to achieve particularly good guidance of the bearing journal, in particular in the radial direction with respect to the first axis and thus when pivoting the reflection element about the first axis. In particular, a geometry of at least one bearing surface of the bearing receptacle can be designed to at least partially correspond to the geometry of the outer surface of the bearing journal. In particular, an inner surface or inner envelope curve or surface of the bearing receptacle can be designed to at least partially correspond to the outer surface of an associated bearing journal.

[0039] In a further advantageous embodiment of a reflection device according to the present invention, the bearing pin has an at least partially spherical and / or hemispherical outer surface or a spherical end or a spherical surface or the like as a bearing surface, with which the bearing pin rests against or slides on a bearing surface of the bearing receptacle. This allows for a very easy-to-assemble bearing design with advantageous functionality, in particular with low bearing friction.

[0040] If at least one bearing part is made of plastic, the bearing can be designed as a dry bearing, i.e., a bearing that does not require additional lubricant. In some cases, it may be helpful for sufficient lubrication if the material from which the bearing is made includes lubricating particles and / or if at least one sliding zone of the at least one bearing includes a low-friction surface, which can be formed, for example, by a low-friction coating.

[0041] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, both the first bearing and the second bearing are each assigned a preload device with a torsion spring element for generating a preload in the bearing in order to hold the reflection element in a defined position. Preferably, the torsion spring element is arranged in particular such that a torsion spring center axis runs parallel to and laterally offset from the first axis at a defined distance.

[0042] This allows a particularly simple application of uniform preload to the bearings supporting the reflection element. By using different torsion spring elements, in particular torsion spring elements with different spring stiffnesses or a different design resulting in different spring stiffnesses, a different preload of the two bearings can also be easily adjusted. This significantly expands the range of applications of a reflection assembly according to the invention.

[0043] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, at least one torsion spring element is a helical spring or comprises a helical spring, wherein the helical spring in particular has a first leg and a second leg, and the first leg and / or the second leg in particular each extend at least partially in the radial direction to the first axis. With such a torsion spring element, a (pre-)defined preload with low hysteresis can be applied to the bearing in a particularly simple and space-saving manner.

[0044] The torsion spring element can in particular be made of metal or at least contain metal or an at least partially metallic material, in particular spring steel.

[0045] In principle, however, the torsion spring element of a bearing can also be made of plastic or be manufactured from it, particularly by injection molding. For sufficient rigidity, however, a plastic should ideally be selected that allows a bearing preload in at least one spatial direction of at least 50 N, preferably at least 75 N, and especially at least 100 N. Depending on the application, other material properties may also be possible.

[0046] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, one of the legs, in particular the first leg or the second leg, is supported on the bearing journal, and the other leg, in particular the second leg or the first leg, is supported on the bearing receptacle. This allows the preload generated by the torsion spring element to be easily applied to or transmitted to the bearing, in particular to the components of the bearing, namely the bearing journal and the bearing receptacle.

[0047] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, at least one leg, in particular the first leg or the second leg, has a free end, wherein the free end in particular also extends in the radial direction to the first axis. In other words, this means that preferably the free end of at least one leg of the torsion spring element is not angled, but rather (in particular in the case of a helical spring) preferably extends straight away from the spiral body of the torsion spring element. This allows a particularly simple design of the torsion spring element to be achieved. In particular, it is not necessary to fold or bend the legs of the torsion spring element again.

[0048] In another possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, particularly in another advantageous embodiment, the bearing receptacle also serves as a torsion spring element holder. This allows for a particularly compact design of a bearing for supporting the reflection element. In particular, no additional torsion spring element holder is required, and thus no additional component.

[0049] In a possible, particularly advantageous embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, the bearing journal of at least one bearing can, in particular, protrude at least partially in the axial direction into the bearing receptacle.

[0050] At least one bearing receptacle can be configured in particular such that an assembly direction, along which the bearing pin is at least partially inserted into the bearing receptacle or can be inserted during assembly, runs at least substantially parallel or parallel to the first axis of the reflection assembly. This enables a particularly simple and, for the desired function, very effective design of a bearing for rotatably supporting the reflection element about the first axis in the reflection assembly.

[0051] With the help of the torsion spring element, the bearing journal can be easily secured in the bearing mount in the axial direction, in particular with the help of a leg of the torsion spring element, which can be used to secure the bearing journal axially in the bearing mount in the radial direction, like a split pin. If the torsion spring element is designed as a spiral spring, a defined axial compliance can also be achieved or adjusted using the torsion spring element, which allows for small compensating movements in the axial direction. This can prevent axial distortion of the reflection element, which can lead to distortion of the projected image.

[0052] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, the bearing journal or the bearing receptacle, in particular the bearing receptacle, can be fastened by means of a screw connection to an associated carrier for supporting or receiving the reflection assembly. As an alternative to a screw connection, other fastening options are also conceivable, for example riveting, gluing or the like. For example, the fastening can also be achieved by a snap-in connection and / or a force-locking connection, i.e. by means of a press connection. Screwing, however, has the advantage that the fastening can usually be removed again without causing damage, thus enabling simple repair and maintenance.

[0053] In a further possible embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention, in particular in a further advantageous embodiment, the bearing pin or the bearing receptacle can be brought into a fastening position, in particular a screwing position, for fastening to a support, in particular for assembly, by a translational movement in a plane extending perpendicular to the first axis. This enables particularly simple assembly or fastening of the reflection assembly. In particular, a reflection assembly configured in this way can be inserted from above into a housing for accommodating the reflection assembly (wherein the orientation and direction information refer to a functionally correct installation state of the reflection assembly in the vehicle).

[0054] A reflection device according to the present invention is in particular a mirror device and is designed in particular for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, wherein the reflection device is designed to reflect radiation emitted by an image generation unit. A reflection device according to the invention comprises a reflection assembly according to the present invention and in particular a carrier which at least partially supports or supports the reflection assembly. The reflection element is movably coupled to the carrier, in particular by means of at least one bearing, such that the reflection element is pivotable about at least a first axis relative to the carrier. One of the parts of the at least one bearing, the bearing pin or the bearing receptacle, is in particular fastened to the reflection element and the other, the bearing receptacle orthe bearing journal is preferably attached to the carrier.

[0055] A bearing support according to the present invention for supporting a reflection element of a reflection device for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, wherein the reflection device is designed to reflect radiation emitted by an image generation unit, is particularly characterized in that it is designed to produce a reflection device according to the present invention.

[0056] In an advantageous embodiment of a bearing mount according to the present invention, the bearing mount is further configured as a torsion spring element holder. This allows for the provision of a particularly compact reflection assembly or a particularly compact reflection device, which, in particular, requires very little installation space and requires only a few components, thus allowing for a particularly simple design and cost-effective manufacture.

[0057] In an advantageous embodiment, a torsion spring element can be arranged in the bearing receptacle or can be partially received by the bearing receptacle, wherein the torsion spring element can be designed in particular as described above.

[0058] A head-up display according to the present invention, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprises an image generation unit for emitting light rays to generate an image, and at least one reflection device for reflecting the light rays emitted by the image generation unit, and is characterized in that the reflection device is designed according to the present invention.

[0059] Head-up displays are generally known from the prior art, to which reference is hereby made for further details regarding general design and / or functional aspects of a head-up display according to the present invention. The image generation unit serves, in particular, to generate an image that can be perceived by a driver of the vehicle. This can be achieved, for example, by emitting light radiation to display the image from the image generation unit. The image generation unit can be arranged in a housing of the head-up display.

[0060] A head-up display according to the present invention may comprise one or more reflection devices, wherein at least one reflection device may comprise one or more reflection elements pivotally coupled to a support as described above, wherein the one or more reflection elements may be coupled to a common support or to several different supports, which means that a head-up display according to the invention may also comprise several supports.

[0061] The at least one rotatably mounted reflection element serves in particular to deflect the light beams generated and emitted by the image generation unit and is preferably arranged directly behind the image generation unit in the beam direction of the light radiation emitted by the image generation unit. From this reflection element, the light radiation can be guided through a housing of the head-up display or through a housing opening of the head-up display into a driver's field of vision.

[0062] The projection surface onto which the generated image can be projected can be a windshield of a vehicle, for example, the front windshield of a motor vehicle, or a separate combiner screen, which can be part of a head-up display according to the invention and which is preferably arranged such that it can be viewed by the person for whom the image is generated, which can be, for example, a driver of a motor vehicle. The projection surface can be a semi-transparent reflective surface, in particular a mirror surface.

[0063] In an advantageous embodiment of a head-up display according to the present invention, the head-up display is designed such that the generated image can be overlaid in a conventional manner with information from an environment located behind the projection surface, thereby generating an image with additional information. In particular, a head-up display according to the invention can be a so-called "augmented reality head-up display (AR head-up display)" or a so-called "virtual reality head-up display (VR head-up display)" or a combination thereof, wherein the head-up display can be designed to display an augmented reality image or a virtual reality image.

[0064] In order to enable a driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, to have a good view of the image depending on the seating position or depending on the size of the driver, a field of vision of the driver, which is also referred to as an "eyebox", can be tracked, in particular by the head-up display, which can therefore preferably be designed accordingly and which can in particular comprise additional elements, for example a plurality of corresponding sensor elements and at least one control unit for determining the position, orientation and / or size and / or dimension of the eyebox.

[0065] In a further advantageous embodiment of a head-up display according to the present invention, the output light of the eyebox reflected by the reflection device and thus a viewing direction of the driver can be tracked, which can be realized by means of an adjustment device and / or a corresponding kinematics acting on the reflection element of the reflection device.

[0066] To adjust the reflection element, in particular for pivoting or rotating it about the first axis, the reflection device and / or the head-up display can comprise a pivot drive unit, in particular a linear pivot drive unit, which can be coupled in particular to the reflection element, preferably via a support structure holding the reflection element and coupling means, such as a pivot arm. Preferably, the pivot drive unit is designed and configured to pivot the reflection element about the first axis by a linear actuation, in particular by a linear actuation orthogonal to the first axis.

[0067] In an advantageous embodiment of a reflection device according to the present invention, the support structure can be designed, in particular, as a shield or as a shield-shaped frame, wherein the support structure preferably comprises a fastening side and a rear side. The support structure can, in particular, be designed and arranged such that its fastening side faces the rear side of the reflection element and extends at least partially parallel to the reflection element, in particular to its reflection side and / or its rear side. This allows a very compact design of the reflection device. This makes it possible to provide a reflection device that requires only a small amount of installation space.

[0068] A motor vehicle according to the present invention has a head-up display and is characterized in that the head-up display is designed according to the present invention.

[0069] The preferred embodiments and their advantages presented with respect to a reflection assembly according to the present invention also apply accordingly to a reflection device, a bearing mount and a head-up display according to the present invention and to a motor vehicle according to the present invention and vice versa, insofar as technically possible.

[0070] Further features of the invention emerge from the patent claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. All features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respective specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone, provided the resulting combination is feasible.

[0071] The individual aspects of the present invention will now be explained in more detail, partly by way of a preferred but non-limiting embodiment and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which are not to scale and in which functionally identical parts or components or assemblies are each provided with the same reference numerals.

[0072] They show:

[0073] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a reflection device known from the prior art, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the reflection device from Fig. 1 in

[0074] Area of ​​the first, left camp,

[0075] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a section of an embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the invention with a bearing receptacle according to the invention, and

[0076] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a section of an embodiment of a reflection device according to the invention with the reflection assembly according to the invention from Fig. 3.

[0077] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a reflection device 1 known from the prior art, which is part of a head-up display (not further identified) for a vehicle. The reflection device 1 is designed for a windshield head-up display and comprises a curved and concave reflection element 11 with a reflection side 22 and a rear side 23. The reflection element 11 is pivotable about a first axis A, which is defined by a first, left bearing 12A and a second, right bearing 12B.

[0078] As can be clearly seen in connection with the enlarged illustration in Fig. 2, the bearings 12A and 12B each comprise a bearing receptacle 15A, 15B and a bearing pin 21A, 21B with a spherical end, which extends along the pivot axis A and is held in the associated bearing receptacle 15A, 15B by means of a securing element 18.

[0079] In this prior art embodiment, the bearing pins 21A, 21B are each attached to a support 17, which in turn is attached to a surrounding housing 20 of an associated head-up display. The bearing receptacles 15A, 15B are each attached to a support structure 16, which holds the reflective element 11. For this purpose, the reflective element 11 is attached to the support structure 16 by its rear side 23.

[0080] The support structure 16 is coupled to a linear pivot drive unit 27, in this case a stepper motor 27, via a pivot arm 26. Using the pivot drive 27, the reflection element 11 can be rotated about the first axis A or the pivot axis A.

[0081] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a section of an embodiment of a reflection assembly 50 according to the invention with a bearing receptacle 15A, 15B according to the invention, wherein the reflection assembly 50 is also designed for a windshield head-on display and is also configured to reflect radiation emitted by an image generation unit (not shown here).

[0082] The reflection assembly 50 also comprises a reflection element 11 with a reflection side 22 and a rear side 23, wherein the rear side 23 is arranged on the side facing away from the reflection side 22.

[0083] The reflection element 11 can be movably coupled to a carrier 17 serving as a housing 20 by means of a first (left) bearing 12A and a second (right) bearing 12B, which is not shown here for the sake of simplicity but is designed exactly like the first (left) bearing 12A, such that the actual reflection element 11, when coupled to the housing 20, can be pivoted about a first axis A relative to the housing 20. Both bearings 12A and 12B each comprise, among other things, a bearing pin 21A, 21B and a bearing receptacle 15A, 15B, wherein the bearing receptacles 15A, 15B are designed to at least partially receive the bearing pin 21A, 21B.

[0084] Both bearing pins 21A and 21B are each spherically shaped at their ends and have a spherical surface as an outer surface, with which they slide in an associated bearing receptacle 15A or 15B, into which the bearing pins protrude in the axial direction of the first axis A. The bearing pins 21A, 21B are each fastened to the reflection element 11 or to a support structure 16 carrying the reflection element 11, while the bearing receptacles 15A, 15B are designed to be fastened to a housing 20 serving as a support 17 (see Fig. 4).

[0085] In order to hold the reflection element 11 in a defined position, the reflection assembly 50 has a preloading device 29 for each bearing 12A, 12B with a torsion spring element 24 in the form of a spiral spring 24 with a first leg 24A and a second leg 24B, which each extend in the radial direction to the first axis A, wherein the first leg 24A is supported on the bearing receptacle 15A and the second leg 24B on the bearing journal 21A.

[0086] According to the invention, the torsion spring element 24 is arranged such that a torsion spring center axis DZ runs parallel to and offset from the first axis A at a defined distance d.

[0087] The torsion spring element 24 is subjected to a defined torsional stress around a torsion spring element center axis DZ, whereby a preload is applied to the bearing 12A or 12B and the bearing journal 21A, 21B can be held in the associated bearing holder 15A or 15B without play.

[0088] Because the second leg 24B extends in the radial direction to the first axis A and is not angled or the like, but merely has a free end and thus acts like a radially inserted split pin, not only can a preload be applied to the bearing 12A, 12B by means of the torsion spring element 24, but also the bearing journal 21A, 21B can be secured in the axial direction in the associated bearing receptacle 15A, 15B.

[0089] Due to the laterally offset arrangement of the torsion spring element 24 to the first axis A, not only can a defined axial preload be introduced into the respective associated bearing 12A, 12B or in particular an axially defined compliance, which enables compensating movements in the axial direction of the first axis A, but also a defined preload force can be applied in the radial direction to the respective bearing 12A, 12B, whereby a particularly good and precise guidance, in particular a play-free guidance, of the bearing journal 21A or 21B in the bearing holder 15A, 15B can be achieved.

[0090] The bearing receptacle 15A, 15B, which in this case is approximately J-shaped or approximately semicircular at its end facing away from the reflection element 11, and is arranged with the long leg of the J in the direction of the first axis A, in particular aligned or concentric with this, in this embodiment of a reflection assembly 50 according to the invention also as a torsion spring element holder 30, ie as a holder for the torsion spring element 24. In this way, a particularly compact design of the bearings 12A, 12B and thus also of the reflection assembly 50 can be achieved.

[0091] As already indicated in Fig. 3 and with reference to Fig. 4, which shows a perspective view of a section of an embodiment of a reflection device 100 according to the invention with the reflection assembly 50 according to the invention from Fig. 3, the bearing holder 15A, 15B can be fastened by means of a screw connection 31 to a carrier 17, or in the present case directly to a housing 20 serving as a carrier 17.

[0092] In this exemplary embodiment, the reflection assembly 50 or the reflection device 100 are designed such that the reflection assembly 50 can be brought into a fastening position, in particular a screwing position, for fastening to the housing 20 by a translational movement in a plane extending perpendicular to the first axis A, in particular by a translational movement in the longitudinal direction of the screw connection 31, or has been brought into this position as shown in Fig. 4.

[0093] As can be clearly seen from Fig. 4, such a fastening to the housing 20 is particularly simple in design and very space-saving, since in particular only very few components are required, here for example a washer 25.

[0094] The J-shaped or semicircular design of the bearing holder 15A, 15B at its end facing away from the reflection element 11 enables, on the one hand, a sufficiently tight screw connection 31 and, on the other hand, a space-saving design.

[0095] Instead of as shown in the exemplary embodiment, the bearing holder 15A or 15B, which simultaneously also serves as a torsion spring element holder 30, can alternatively also be integrated into the carrier 20 or in this case into the housing 20 and, for example, can also be made at least partially or completely from plastic instead of from die-casting, as in the previously described exemplary embodiments.

[0096] A significant advantage of the above-described solution for the mounting of the reflective element 11 is that installation space can be created in an area behind the reflective element 11 (relative to an installation situation in a vehicle facing the direction of travel), which can be used to improve the visual situation within the head-up display. Furthermore, with such a mounting of the reflective element 11, assuming a corresponding design, a significant reduction in weight and / or cost can be achieved compared to the designs known from the prior art.

[0097] The solution according to the invention allows for advantageous mounting of the reflective element with a small number of components. Furthermore, it allows for simple assembly and a simple design, which is also suitable for use in many differently designed head-up displays and requires only minor adaptations to be used in head-up displays for different vehicles and vehicle groups.

[0098] In addition to the described and shown embodiments and the described possible embodiments, a number of further embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of protection defined by the patent claims.

[0099] List of reference symbols:

[0100] 1 Embodiment of a reflection device from the prior art

[0101] 50 Embodiment of a reflection assembly according to the present invention

[0102] 100 Embodiment of a reflection device according to the present

[0103] invention

[0104] 11 Reflection element

[0105] 12A first (left) bearing

[0106] 12B second (right) bearing

[0107] 15A first (left) bearing holder

[0108] 15B second (right) bearing mount

[0109] 16 Supporting structure

[0110] 17 carriers

[0111] 18 Securing element

[0112] 20 housings

[0113] 21A first (left) bearing journal

[0114] 21 B second (right) bearing journal

[0115] 22 Reflection side of the reflection element

[0116] 23 Back of the reflection element

[0117] 24 torsion spring element

[0118] 24A first leg

[0119] 24B second leg

[0120] 25 Washer

[0121] 26 Coupling means for coupling the supporting structure with a (linear)

[0122] Swivel drive unit

[0123] 27 linear rotary actuator unit

[0124] 29 Pre-tensioning device

[0125] 30 Torsion spring element holder

[0126] 31 Screw d Distance / lateral offset of the torsion spring center axis

[0127] A first axis

[0128] DZ torsion spring center axis

[0129] K Kinematic point of the bearing

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Reflection assembly (50) for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, for reflecting radiation emitted by an image generation unit, wherein the reflection assembly (50) comprises a reflection element (11) having a reflection side (22) and a rear side (23) arranged on the side facing away from the reflection side (22), wherein the reflection element (11) is movably coupled to a carrier (17, 20) by means of at least one bearing (12A, 12B) such that the reflection element (11) is pivotable about at least a first axis (A) relative to the carrier (17, 20) when coupled to the carrier (17, 20), wherein at least one bearing (12A, 12B) comprises at least two parts: a bearing pin (21A, 21B) and a bearing receptacle (15A, 15B), wherein the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) is designed to at least partially receive the bearing journal (21 A, 21 B), wherein one of the parts,the bearing journal (21A, 21B) or the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) is fastened to the reflection element (11), and the other, the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) or the bearing journal (21A, 21B), is fastenable to the carrier (17, 20), and wherein the reflection assembly (50) has a prestressing device (29) with a torsion spring element (24) for generating a prestress in at least one bearing (12A, 12B) in order to hold the reflection element (11) in a defined position, characterized in that the torsion spring element (24) is arranged such that a torsion spring center axis (DZ) runs parallel and laterally offset from the first axis (A) at a defined distance (d).

2. Reflection assembly (50) according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflection element (11) can be rotatably coupled to a carrier (17, 20) by at least two bearings (12A, 12B), in particular a first bearing (12A) and a second bearing (12B), wherein each bearing (12A, 12B) has a kinematic point (K) and the kinematic points (K) of the bearings define the first axis (A) about which the reflection element (11) is pivotable relative to the carrier (17, 20) about the first axis (A) in a state coupled to the carrier (17, 20), wherein in particular the first bearing (12A) and the second bearing (12B) each comprise two parts: a bearing pin (21A, 21B) and a bearing receptacle (15A, 15B), wherein the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) is each designed to at least partially receive the bearing pin (21A, 21B), and wherein in each case one of the parts, the bearing pin (21A, 21B) or the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B), is fastened to the reflection element (11) and the other part, the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) or the bearing pin (21 A, 21 B), respectively, can be fastened to the support (17, 20).

3. Reflection assembly (50) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bearing journal (21 A, 21 B) of at least one bearing (12A, 12B) has an at least partially convex spherical, ball-shaped and / or hemispherical outer surface or a spherical end or a spherical surface or the like as a bearing surface.

4. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first bearing (12A) and the second bearing (12B) are each assigned a prestressing device (29) with a torsion spring element (24) for generating a prestress in the bearing (12A, 12B) in order to hold the reflection element (11) in a defined position, wherein the torsion spring element (24) is arranged in such a way that a torsion spring center axis (DZ) runs parallel and laterally offset from the first axis (A) by a defined distance (d).

5. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one torsion spring element (24) is a helical spring (24), wherein the helical spring (24) has a first leg (24A) and a second leg (24B), and the first leg (24A) and / or the second leg (24B) extend at least partially in the radial direction to the first axis (A).

6. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the legs (24A, 24B) is supported on the bearing pin (15A) and the other leg (24B, 24A) on the bearing receptacle (15B).

7. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one leg (24A, 24B) has a free end, wherein the free end also extends in the radial direction to the first axis (A).

8. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing receptacle (15B) further serves as a torsion spring element holder (30).

9. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing pin (21 A, 21 B) or the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B), in particular the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B), can be fastened to a support (17, 20) by means of a screw connection (31).

10. Reflection assembly (50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing pin (21 A, 21 B) or the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) can be brought into a fastening position, in particular a screwing position, for fastening to a support (17, 20) by a translational movement in a plane extending perpendicular to the first axis (A).

11. Reflection device (100), in particular a mirror device, for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, for reflecting radiation emitted by an image generation unit, wherein the reflection device (100) comprises: a reflection assembly (50) according to one of claims 1 to 10, and a carrier (17, 20) which at least partially supports the reflection assembly (50), wherein the reflection element (11) is movably coupled to the carrier (17, 20) by means of at least one bearing (12A, 12B) such that the reflection element (11) is pivotable about at least a first axis (A) relative to the support (17, 20), and wherein one of the parts, the bearing pin (21 A, 21 B) or the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B), is fastened to the reflection element (11), and the other, the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) or the bearing pin (21 A, 21 B), is fastened to the support (17, 20).

12. Bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) for supporting a reflection element (11) of a reflection device (100) for a head-up display, in particular for a windshield head-up display, wherein the reflection device (100) is designed to reflect radiation emitted by an image generation unit, characterized in that the bearing receptacle (15A, 15B) is designed to produce a reflection assembly (50) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and / or to produce a reflection device (100) according to claim 11.

13. Bearing holder (15B) according to claim 12, characterized in that the bearing holder (15B) is further designed as a torsion spring element holder (30).

14. Head-up display, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising an image generation unit for emitting light rays to generate an image, and comprising at least one reflection device (100) for reflecting the light rays emitted by the image generation unit, characterized in that the reflection device (100) has a reflection assembly (50) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and / or is designed according to claim 11.

15. Motor vehicle having a head-up display, characterized in that the head-up display is designed according to claim 14.

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