Optical waveguide lens, head-up display system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a light guide lens, a head-up display system, and a vehicle. [Solution] The optical waveguide lens includes a lens body, a lattice structure, and a reflective layer, the lens body has a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, the lattice structure is arranged on the lens body, the lattice structure includes an entrance lattice and an exit lattice, the entrance lattice is located on the side where the first surface is located, the exit lattice is located on the side where the second surface is located, and the reflective layer is arranged on the lens body, the reflective layer is located on the side where the first surface is located, and the reflective layer and the exit lattice are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction. The reflective layer reduces the risk of the light inside the lens body leaving the lens body from a non-lattice position, and improves the intensity of the output light of the optical waveguide lens, thereby improving the imaging effect of the head-up display system and the interactive experience between the user and the vehicle.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of head-up display technology, and in particular to a light guide lens, a head-up display system, and a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A head-up display system mounted on a vehicle can display dashboard information on the windshield to enhance the human-vehicle interactive experience. A head-up display system in the prior art includes a display element on the dashboard and multiple sets of curved mirrors located between the display element and the windshield, and the curved mirrors reflect light multiple times to allow the light to enter human eyes. However, due to the large size and number of the curved mirrors and the large space required for installation, the head-up display system occupies a lot of space inside the vehicle.

[0003] In order to solve the problem of large dimensions of head-up displays, multiple sets of curved mirrors are usually replaced with one optical waveguide lens, in which the light from the display element enters the inside of the lens body through diffraction by the input grating of the optical waveguide lens, is totally reflected inside the lens body, and then reaches the surface of the windshield through diffraction by the output grating, and is finally reflected by the windshield to the human eye, thus realizing the head-up display function. However, when the light is diffracted by the output grating, some of the light propagates in a direction away from the windshield, which weakens the light intensity output by the optical waveguide lens, and reduces the optical effect of the head-up display system.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a light guide lens, head-up display system, and vehicle with high output light intensity. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an optical waveguide lens, a head-up display system, and a vehicle having high output light intensity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technical ideas of the present invention are as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical waveguide lens, the optical waveguide lens including a lens body, a grating structure, and a reflective layer, the lens body having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite each other along a first direction, the grating structure is provided on the lens body, the grating structure including an entrance grating and an exit grating, the entrance grating is located on the side where the first surface is located and the exit grating is located on the side where the second surface is located, and the entrance grating and the exit grating are arranged alternately in the second direction, the first direction is parallel to a thickness direction of the lens body, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and a reflective layer is provided on the lens body, the reflective layer is located on the side where the first surface is located, and the reflective layer and the exit grating are arranged opposite each other along the first direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, along the first direction, at least a portion of the projection of the exit grating is located within the projection range of the reflective layer.

[0009] In some embodiments, the reflective layer is a silver-plated layer, an aluminum-plated layer, a copper-plated layer, or a gold-plated layer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the grating structure includes a plurality of spaced apart diffraction grooves, and an angle α between the extension direction of the diffraction grooves and the first direction satisfies 0<α<90°.

[0011] In some embodiments, the length dimension of the input grating in the second direction is smaller than the length dimension of the output grating in the second direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the entrance grating is separate from and fixedly connected to the lens body, or the entrance grating is molded integrally with the lens body, and / or The exit grating is provided separately from the lens body and fixedly connected thereto, or the exit grating is molded integrally with the lens body.

[0013] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a head-up display system comprising an optical waveguide lens according to any one of the above claims, a display element and a reflective element, wherein along a first direction, the display element is located on a side of the optical waveguide lens where an entrance grating is located, the display element is arranged opposite the entrance grating, and the display element is used to radiate a light source to the optical waveguide lens, and along the first direction, the reflective element is located on a side of the optical waveguide lens where an exit grating is located, the display element is arranged opposite the exit grating, and the reflective element is used to reflect the exit light at the exit grating to a human eye.

[0014] In some embodiments, the head-up display system further comprises a transmissive mirror, the transmissive mirror being located between the display element and the light guide lens along the first direction, the transmissive mirror being used to adjust the light source emitted from the display element into a collimated light, and the propagation direction of the collimated light is parallel to the thickness direction of the lens body.

[0015] In some embodiments, the display element is a silicon-based liquid crystal element or a digital light processing element.

[0016] In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising a vehicle body, wheels, a dashboard and a head-up display system as described in any one of the above, wherein a windscreen is attached to the vehicle body, the vehicle body and the windscreen surround and form a driver's seat, the wheels are attached to the vehicle body and the dashboard is attached to the vehicle body and located within the driver's seat, wherein a display element is located within the dashboard and a reflective element is provided on the windscreen or the windscreen is a reflective element. Effect of the Invention

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are that when the head-up display system is operated, a user in the driver's seat can view information on the dashboard without lowering his / her head, thereby improving the human-vehicle interactive performance; the head-up display system is equipped with an optical waveguide lens, and the optical waveguide lens is provided with a reflective layer, thereby reducing the risk of the light inside the lens body leaving the lens body from a non-lattice position, improving the intensity of the output light of the optical waveguide lens, and improving the imaging effect of the head-up display system and the interactive experience between the user and the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the light propagation path of a head-up display system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part I in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the optical waveguide lens of FIG. 1 in one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion II in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the optical waveguide lens of FIG. 1 in another embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0019] 1: optical waveguide lens, 11: lens body, 111: first surface, 112: second surface, 12: grating structure, 121: entrance grating, 122: exit grating, 123: diffraction groove, 13: reflective layer, 2: display element, 3: reflective element, 4: transmission mirror. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The present invention will be further described below in combination with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] The present invention provides a vehicle, which includes a body, wheels, and a dashboard, a windshield is attached to the body, the body and the windshield surround a driver's seat, wheels are attached to the body, and the number of wheels may be two, three, four or more, the present invention does not particularly limit the specific number of wheels and the specific type of the vehicle, and the dashboard is attached to the body and located in the driver's seat. The vehicle further includes a head-up display system, which transmits information on the dashboard to human eyes by light reflection and diffraction, that is, when the head-up display system is operated, the user in the driver's seat can see the information on the dashboard without lowering his / her head, which improves the human-vehicle interactive performance, reduces the frequency of the user lowering his / her head while driving, and allows the user to direct his / her eyes to the front of the vehicle, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle.

[0022] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , the head-up display system includes an optical waveguide lens 1, a display element 2, and a reflecting element 3. Along the thickness direction of the optical waveguide lens 1, the display element 2 and the reflecting element 3 are provided on both sides of the optical waveguide lens 1, respectively. In a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the optical waveguide lens 1, the display element 2 and the reflecting element 3 are alternately arranged. For convenience of explanation, the thickness direction of the optical waveguide lens 1 is defined as a first direction Z, and the alternate arrangement direction of the display element 2 and the reflecting element 3 is defined as a second direction X, that is, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. Here, the second direction X is within a plane surrounded by the longitudinal direction and width direction of the optical waveguide lens 1. For convenience of understanding, the second direction X in the present invention is the longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide lens 1.

[0023] The display element 2 is located in the dashboard and is used to display information such as road conditions, the vehicle's oil level, water temperature, etc. When the head-up display system is operating, the display element 2 generates a target image and emits light, which is irradiated to the optical waveguide lens 1, which diffracts and totally reflects the light, and then transmits the light to the surface of the reflective element 3, which reflects the light so that it enters the human eye, thereby realizing the head-up display function.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, the reflective element 3 is attached to the windshield, which facilitates maintenance and replacement of the reflective element 3 and reduces maintenance costs. In another embodiment of the present invention, the windshield is directly used as the reflective element 3, which reduces the number of parts and processing costs of the entire vehicle and reduces the installation cost of the reflective element 3.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the optical waveguide lens 1 includes a lens body 11 and a lattice structure 12 provided on the lens body 11. Specifically, the lattice structure 12 includes an entrance grating 121 and an exit grating 122. The lens body 11 includes a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 arranged opposite each other along a first direction Z. The entrance grating 121 is provided on the side where the first surface 111 is located, and the exit grating 122 is provided on the side where the second surface 112 is located, and the entrance gratings 121 and the exit gratings 122 are arranged alternately in the second direction X. Along the first direction Z, the display element 2 is located on the side where the first surface 111 of the optical waveguide lens 1 is located and is arranged opposite the entrance grating 121. The reflective element 3 is located on the side where the second surface 112 of the optical waveguide lens 1 is located and is arranged opposite the exit grating 122. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the light emitted from the display element 2 is irradiated to the input grating 121, is incoupled into the inside of the lens body 11 due to diffraction by the input grating 121, is totally reflected by the lens body 11 and is irradiated to the output grating 122, is diffracted by the output grating 122, leaves the lens body 11 and is irradiated to the surface of the reflective element 3, and finally is reflected by the reflective element 3 to reach the human eye.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the head-up display system further includes a transmission mirror 4, which is located between the display element 2 and the optical waveguide lens 1 along the first direction Z, and is used to adjust the light source emitted from the display element 2 into a collimated light, and the propagation direction of the collimated light is parallel to the first direction Z.

[0027] In this embodiment, a transmissive mirror 4 is provided between the display element 2 and the optical waveguide lens 1, so that the light emitted from the display element 2 can be irradiated parallel to the surface of the incident grating 121, improving the consistency of the light propagation direction inside the lens body 11 and enhancing the imaging effect of the head-up display system.

[0028] Moreover, the display element 2 is a silicon-based liquid crystal element or a digital light processing element, which can increase the installation flexibility of the display element 2.

[0029] Here, when the display element 2 is a silicon-based liquid crystal element, the display element 2 has high resolution. When the display element 2 is a digital light processing element, the display element 2 has high definition. As a result, by installing the display element 2 on a silicon-based liquid crystal element or a digital light processing element, it contributes to improving the imaging effect of the head-up display system.

[0030] 3 and 4, the grating structure 12 includes diffraction grooves 123, which are inclined along the third direction T, and the angle α between the third direction T and the first direction Z satisfies 0<α<90°. Specifically, the angle α between the third direction T and the first direction Z may be 9°, 15°, 26°, 37°, 42°, 45°, 55°, 67°, 85°, etc.

[0031] In this embodiment, since the angle between the third direction T and the first direction Z is 0 to 90°, the diffraction of light by the grating structure 12 can be easily achieved, and the operational stability and reliability of the grating structure 12 can be improved.

[0032] Furthermore, the length dimension of the entrance grating 121 in the second direction X is smaller than the length dimension of the exit grating 122 in the second direction X.

[0033] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the light that enters the inside of the lens body 11 through the entrance grating 121 needs to be totally reflected by the lens body 11 to the exit grating 122. In the second direction X, the dimension of the entrance grating 121 is smaller than the dimension of the exit grating 122. This reduces the risk that the light inside the lens body 11 cannot be completely emitted through the exit grating 122, improves the utilization efficiency of the optical waveguide lens 1 for the light output from the display element 2, and increases the intensity of the light output from the optical waveguide lens 1.

[0034] In one embodiment, the grating structure 12 is provided separately from and fixedly connected to the lens body 11, i.e., the entrance grating 121 and the exit grating 122 are attached to the lens body 11 as independent parts, which facilitates the installation, maintenance and replacement of the entrance grating 121 and the exit grating 122. In another embodiment, the grating structure 12 is integrally formed with the lens body 11, i.e., the entrance grating 121 is directly etched on the first surface 111 of the lens body 11, and the exit grating 122 is etched on the second surface 112, so as to enhance the connection stability between the grating structure 12 and the lens body 11.

[0035] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the optical waveguide lens 1 further includes a reflective layer 13, which is coated on the first surface 111 and / or the second surface 112 of the lens body 11. The reflective layer 13 is made of a light-impermeable material, which reduces the risk of the light inside the lens body 11 leaving the lens body 11 from a non-grating position, and reduces the risk of the light intensity at the output grating 122 being weakened, thereby improving the output light intensity of the optical waveguide lens 1, enhancing the imaging effect of the head-up display system, and improving the interactive experience between the user and the vehicle.

[0036] Here, the reflective layer 13 is a silver-plated layer, an aluminum-plated layer, a copper-plated layer or a gold-plated layer, that is, the material of the reflective layer 13 is silver, aluminum, copper, gold or other light-opaque materials, but in this embodiment, the specific material of the reflective layer 13 is not particularly limited in order to increase the flexibility of the installation method of the reflective layer 13.

[0037] The number of layers of the reflective layer 13 may be one, two, three or more, and in this embodiment, there is no particular limitation on the specific number of layers of the reflective layer 13. Here, when the number of the reflective layers 13 is multiple, the materials of the respective reflective layers 13 may be the same or different.

[0038] Specifically, the reflective layer 13 is located on the side where the first surface 111 is located, the reflective layer 13 and the exit grating 122 are arranged opposite each other along the first direction Z, and at least a part of the projection of the exit grating 122 is located within the projection range of the reflective layer 13, and / or the reflective layer 13 is located on the side where the second surface 112 is located, the reflective layer 13 and the entrance grating 121 are arranged opposite each other along the first direction Z, and at least a part of the projection of the entrance grating 121 is located within the projection range of the reflective layer 13.

[0039] In this embodiment, at least a part of the projection range of the incident grating 121 and / or the exit grating 122 is located within the projection range of the reflective layer 13. In the process of the lattice structure 12 diffracting light, the risk that the light will leave the lens body 11 from the position facing the lattice structure 12, resulting in a decrease in light intensity, is reduced, and the intensity of the light diffracted by the lattice structure 12 is further improved, so as to enhance the intensity of the light output from the optical waveguide lens 1 and the imaging effect of the head-up display system, and ultimately improve the interactive experience between the user and the vehicle.

[0040] The above-described embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and those skilled in the art may make further improvements without departing from the creative idea of ​​the present invention, which are hereby included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. An optical waveguide lens, comprising: The optical waveguide lens (1) includes a lens body (11), a grating structure (12), and a reflective layer (13); The lens body (11) has a first surface (111) and a second surface (112) arranged opposite to each other along a first direction (Z), The grating structure (12) is provided on the lens body (11), the grating structure (12) comprises an entrance grating (121) and an exit grating (122), the entrance grating (121) is located on the side where the first surface (111) is located, the exit grating (122) is located on the side where the second surface (112) is located, and the entrance grating (121) and the exit grating (122) are alternately arranged in a second direction (X), the first direction (Z) is parallel to the thickness direction of the lens body (11), and the second direction (X) is perpendicular to the first direction (Z); The reflective layer (13) is provided on the lens body (11), the reflective layer (13) is located on the side where the first surface (111) is located, and at least a part of the reflective layer (13) and the exit grating (122) are disposed opposite to each other along the first direction (Z).

1. An optical waveguide lens comprising:

2. Along the first direction (Z), at least a part of the projection of the exit grating (122) is located within a projection range of the reflective layer (13).

2. The optical waveguide lens according to claim 1.

3. The reflective layer (13) is a silver-plated layer, an aluminum-plated layer, a copper-plated layer, or a gold-plated layer.

2. The optical waveguide lens according to claim 1.

4. The grating structure (12) includes a plurality of diffraction grooves (123) arranged at intervals, and an angle α between the extension direction of the diffraction grooves (123) and the first direction (Z) satisfies 0<α<90°; 2. The optical waveguide lens according to claim 1.

5. The length dimension of the entrance grating (121) in the second direction (X) is smaller than the length dimension of the exit grating (122) in the second direction (X).

2. The optical waveguide lens according to claim 1.

6. The entrance grating (121) is provided separately from the lens body (11) and is fixedly connected thereto, or the entrance grating (121) is molded integrally with the lens body (11), and / or The exit grating (122) is provided separately from the lens body (11) and fixedly connected thereto, or the exit grating (122) is molded integrally with the lens body (11).

6. The optical waveguide lens according to claim 1,

7. A light guide lens (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a display element (2), and a reflecting element (3), Along the first direction (Z), the display element (2) is located on the side of the light guide lens (1) where the entrance grating (121) is located, the display element (2) is disposed opposite the entrance grating (121), and the display element (2) is used to radiate a light source to the light guide lens (1); Along the first direction (Z), the reflective element (3) is located on a side of the optical waveguide lens (1) where the exit grating (122) is located, the display element (2) is disposed opposite the exit grating (122), and the reflective element (3) is used to reflect the exit light at the exit grating (122) to a human eye. A head-up display system.

8. The head-up display system further comprises a transmission mirror (4), the transmission mirror (4) being located between the display element (2) and the light guide lens (1) along the first direction (Z), the transmission mirror (4) being used to adjust the light source emitted from the display element (2) into a parallel light.

8. The head-up display system according to claim 7.

9. The display element (2) is a silicon-based liquid crystal element or a digital light processing element; 8. The head-up display system according to claim 7.

10. A vehicle comprising a vehicle body, wheels, a dashboard, and the head-up display system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, A windshield is attached to the vehicle body, and the vehicle body and the windshield surround and form a driver's seat, The wheels are attached to the vehicle body, the dashboard is attached to the vehicle body and located within the driver's seat; wherein the display element (2) is located within the dashboard, The reflective element (3) is installed on the windshield or the windshield is the reflective element (3), A vehicle characterized by:

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