Vehicle display device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NIPPON SEIKI CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-03
Smart Images

Figure 2026125215000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
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[0001] This disclosure relates to a display device for a vehicle.
Background Art
[0002] The display device described in Patent Document 1 includes an object to be observed including instrument information, and a real mirror video imaging optical system that forms an aerial image, which is a real image of the object to be observed, at a position symmetric to the surface of the object to be observed.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In the configuration described in the above Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the aerial image may be difficult to see due to ambient external light.
[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above actual situation, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle display device capable of enhancing the visibility of display.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] To achieve the above object, a vehicle display device according to this disclosure includes a display device that displays a display image on a display surface, an optical array member that, when in a superimposed position covering the display surface as viewed from a viewer, receives display light from the display image and makes an aerial image corresponding to the display image visible to the viewer,
[0007] According to this disclosure, the visibility of the display can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device when an optical array member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is in a superimposed position. [Figure 2B] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device when the optical array member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is in the open position. [Figure 3] This is a schematic front view of a vehicle display device when an optical array member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is in a superimposed position. [Figure 4] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device according to Modification 1 of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device according to Modification 2 of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] This is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle display device when the optical array member according to Modification 3 of the present disclosure is in the open position. [Figure 6B] This is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle display device when the optical array member according to Modification 3 of this disclosure is in a superimposed position. [Figure 7] This is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle display device according to Modification 4 of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device according to Modification 5 of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device according to modified example 6 of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle display device according to modified example 7 of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram of a vehicle display device relating to another modified example of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] A vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 includes a vehicle display device 10, a control unit 50, and an illuminance sensor 55. The vehicle 100 is, for example, a motorcycle. The illuminance sensor 55 detects the light intensity of external light and outputs the detected detection signal to the control unit 50. Note that the illuminance sensor 55 may be mounted on the vehicle display device 10.
[0010] The vehicle display device 10 displays various information such as vehicle speed, remaining fuel, warning icons, etc., navigation information for guiding the vehicle route, and / or entertainment information. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the vehicle display device 10 includes a display device 20, an optical array member 31, a drive mechanism 30, and a drive unit 45.
[0011] The display device 20 displays a display image D1 including various information on the display surface 21 under the control of the control unit 50. The display device 20 includes a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) type liquid crystal display panel (not shown) and a light source for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel. Note that the display device 20 is not limited to the type including a liquid crystal display panel, and may be a type including an organic EL display.
[0012] In the following description, the X and Y directions extend in directions orthogonal to each other on the display surface 21. The X direction extends in the left - right direction as viewed from the viewer 1. The Y direction extends in the height direction as viewed from the viewer 1. The Z direction extends in a direction orthogonal to the display surface 21. The display surface 21 is located on the surface of the display device 20 on the side of the viewer 1 and forms a rectangle long in the X direction.
[0013] The drive mechanism 30 is configured to be movable between a superimposed position Pc (see FIG. 2A) and a released position Po (see FIG. 2B) of the optical array member 31. The drive mechanism 30 includes an arm portion 35 and a rotating shaft portion 40.
[0014] The rotating shaft portion 40 is located at the upper rear end of the display device 20 and rotates together with the arm portion 35 and the optical array member 31 about a rotating shaft Ax extending in the X direction. The rotating shaft portion 40 is constituted by a hinge.
[0015] The arm portion 35 is formed of a light-shielding material, for example, a resin such as acrylic or polycarbonate, or a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. The arm portion 35 has a rectangular plate shape long in the X direction, and the short side direction of the arm portion 35 extends in the radial direction of the rotating shaft portion 40. The arm portion 35 has a first end portion 35a and a second end portion 35b as both ends in the Z direction. The first end portion 35a of the arm portion 35 is connected to the rotating shaft portion 40. The second end portion 35b of the arm portion 35 is connected to the optical array member 31.
[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 3, when the optical array member 31 is in the overlapping position Pc, an aerial image D2 corresponding to the display image D1 can be visually recognized on the optical array member 31. The aerial image D2 is formed as a real image at a plane-symmetric position with respect to the display image D1 with the optical array member 31 as a reference. The optical array member 31 faces the display surface 21 in parallel when in the overlapping position Pc. The optical array member 31 forms the aerial image D2 by receiving the display light from the display image D1 and forming an image on the light-emitting side (viewer 1 side) of the optical array member 31. The aerial image D2 appears to float with respect to the surface on the light-emitting side of the optical array member 31.
[0017] The optical array member 31 has a periodic structure with optical elements formed corresponding to one or more pixels of the display image D1 as units. These optical elements are two mirrors orthogonal to each other or microlenses, and are arranged in a matrix in the XY direction. The optical array member 31 has a rectangular plate shape long in the X direction. The optical array member 31 in the overlapping position Pc is formed in a range including the display surface 21 in the Z direction. The optical array member 31 and the arm portion 35 are connected to each other in an L-shape.
[0018] As shown in Figure 2B, when the optical array member 31 is in the open position Po, it is positioned so as not to cover the display surface 21 as seen by the viewer 1. Therefore, at this time, the display image D1 on the display surface 21 is directly visible to the viewer 1. The optical array member 31 in the open position Po is set to an inclination angle of, for example, 45° to 50° with respect to the display surface 21. By moving from the superimposed position Pc to the open position Po, the optical array member 31 rotates so as to be flipped upwards as seen by the viewer 1. The optical array member 31 may rotate downwards as seen from the viewer 1 by moving from the superimposed position Pc to the release position Po. In this case, the optical array member 31 and the drive mechanism 30 are configured to be reversed in the Y direction compared to the configurations shown in Figures 2A and 2B.
[0019] The drive unit 45, under the control of the control unit 50, rotates the rotation axis 40 around the rotation axis Ax together with the arm 35 and the optical array member 31. The drive unit 45 is a motor.
[0020] The control unit 50 controls the vehicle display device 10. The control unit 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control unit 50 receives vehicle information from the in-vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and displays the display image D1 on the display surface 21.
[0021] The control unit 50 receives a detection signal from the illuminance sensor 55 to detect the light intensity of ambient light and determines whether the detected ambient light intensity is equal to or greater than a preset threshold Th. The threshold Th is set to the lower limit of the ambient light intensity range in which the visibility of the aerial image D2 deteriorates.
[0022] When the control unit 50 determines that the detected ambient light intensity is below the threshold Th, it moves the optical array member 31 to the superposition position Pc. As a result, when the ambient light intensity is low, the highly visible aerial image D2 is displayed. On the other hand, when the control unit 50 determines that the detected ambient light intensity is above a threshold Th, it moves the optical array member 31 to the open position Po. As a result, the displayed image D1 becomes visible when the ambient light intensity is high. Therefore, the display of the aerial image D2, which has poor visibility, is suppressed when the ambient light intensity is high.
[0023] When the detected ambient light intensity exceeds the threshold Th, the control unit 50 moves the optical array member 31 from the superimposed position Pc to the release position Po via the drive unit 45. When the detected ambient light intensity falls below the threshold Th, the control unit 50 moves the optical array member 31 from the release position Po to the superimposed position Pc via the drive unit 45.
[0024] (effect) According to the embodiment described above, the following effects are achieved. (1) The vehicle display device 10 includes a display device 20 that displays a display image D1 on a display surface 21, an optical array member 31 that receives display light from the display image D1 and makes an aerial image D2 corresponding to the display image D1 visible to the viewer 1 when it is in an overlapping position Pc that covers the display surface 21 as seen by the viewer 1, and a drive mechanism 30 configured to move the optical array member 31 between an overlapping position Pc and an open position Po that does not cover the display surface 21 as seen by the viewer 1, and allows the display surface 21 to be directly viewed by the viewer 1. This configuration allows for selective viewing of either the display image D1 or the aerial image D2. Therefore, if the aerial image D2 is difficult to see due to ambient light, viewing the display image D1 can improve the visibility of the display. For example, if a warning icon is displayed on the display image D1, the likelihood of overlooking this warning icon is reduced.
[0025] (2) The drive mechanism 30 includes an arm portion 35 connected to the end of the optical array member 31 so as to intersect with the optical array member 31, and a rotating shaft portion 40 that allows the optical array member 31 to rotate around a rotation axis Ax extending in the X direction perpendicular to the Y direction in which the arm portion 35 and the optical array member 31 are aligned, so as to move between an overlapping position Pc and a release position Po. With this configuration, the optical array member 31 can be moved between the superimposed position Pc and the released position Po by rotating it.
[0026] (3) The drive mechanism 30 includes a drive unit 45 that moves the optical array member 31 between the superimposed position Pc and the release position Po, and a control unit 50 that moves the optical array member 31 from the superimposed position Pc to the release position Po via the drive unit 45 when the light intensity of ambient light becomes greater than or equal to a threshold Th which makes it difficult to see the aerial image D2. This configuration prevents the continued display of aerial image D2 when visibility is low.
[0027] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and drawings described above. Modifications (including the deletion of components) can be made as appropriate, provided they do not alter the essence of this disclosure. An example of such a modification is described below. First, I will explain variations 1 through 7 in order.
[0028] (Variation 1) The number of arms 35 in the above embodiment may be multiple. In this modified example 1, for example, as shown in Figure 4, the drive mechanism 30a of the vehicle display device 10a may be further equipped with an additional arm 36 in addition to the arms 35 and the rotating shaft 40. The arm portion 36 is connected to the end portion 31b of the optical array member 31 opposite to the end portion 31a on the arm portion 35 side. The arm portion 36 extends in the same direction as the arm portion 35 relative to the optical array member 31. The arms 35 and 36 are perpendicular to the optical array member 31. When viewed from the X direction, the optical array member 31 and the arms 35 and 36 as a whole form a U-shape or C-shape, and when in the superimposed position Pc, the display surface 21 is located on the opening side of the U-shape or C-shape. The arm portion 36 is made of a light-shielding material. As a result, when the optical array member 31 is in the superimposed position Pc, the arm portion 36 prevents the viewer 1 from directly viewing the display image of the display surface 21. The arm portion 36 may be made of a light-transmitting material. Furthermore, a total of four arm portions may be formed as peripheral wall portions so as to surround the entire circumference of the optical array member 31.
[0029] (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, the position of the rotating shaft portion 40 can be changed as appropriate. In this modified example 2, for example, as shown in Figure 5, in the drive mechanism 30b of the vehicle display device 10b, the rotating shaft portion 40 is located between the optical array member 31 and the arm portion 35, and is configured so that the angle between the optical array member 31 and the arm portion 35 is variable. When the optical array member 31 is in the superimposed position Pc, it faces the display surface 21 so as to be parallel to it, and the internal angle between the optical array member 31 and the arm portion 35 is 90°. When the optical array member 31 is in the released position Po, the internal angle with the arm portion 35 is an angle greater than 90°, for example, 120° to 160°. In this configuration, when the optical array member 31 moves, only the optical array member 31 rotates, so the load on the drive unit can be reduced. In addition, when the optical array member 31 is in the released position Po, the size of the vehicle display device 10b in the Y direction becomes compact. Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 5, the arm portion 35 is formed of a light-shielding material, so the arm portion 35 functions as a light-shielding visor that blocks sunlight SL from reaching the display surface 21. This suppresses a decrease in the visibility of the display image D1 and the aerial image D2. Furthermore, the drive mechanism 30b may also include an arm 37 separate from the arm 35. The arm 37 is parallel to the arm 35, and in the Y direction, the display device 20 is located between the arm 35 and the 37. The end of the arm 37 on the viewer 1 side is close to or in contact with the tip of the optical array member 31 at the superimposed position Pc. Since the arm 37 is formed of a light-shielding material, it functions as a light-shielding visor, similar to the arm 35. Furthermore, the arm portion 35 may be formed from a light-shielding material, and the arm portion 37 may be formed from a light-transmitting material. This allows the display image D1 to be viewed through the arm portion 37.
[0030] According to the above modified example 2, the following effects are achieved. The arm portion 35 is formed as a light-shielding visor on the upper part of the display surface 21 using a light-shielding material to suppress sunlight SL from entering the display surface 21. This configuration makes it possible to improve the visibility of the displayed image D1 and the aerial image D2.
[0031] (Variation 3) In the above embodiment, the display device 20 may be configured to move between a release position Po and an overlapping position Pc by sliding. In this modified example 3, for example, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the drive mechanism 30c of the vehicle display device 10c includes a support wall 39 having a support rail 39a, in addition to the optical array member 31 and the arm 35. The support rail 39a is located on the display device 20 side of the support wall 39 and extends parallel to the Y direction. A slide rail (not shown) that moves along the support rail 39a is provided on the back surface 22 of the display device 20. The support wall 39 is connected to the first end 35a of the arm 35 and extends in the same direction as the optical array member 31 relative to the arm 35. The drive unit moves the display device 20 in the Y direction relative to the optical array member 31, the arm portion 35, and the support wall portion 39. When the optical array member 31 is in the superimposed position (see Figure 6B), the support wall portion 39 faces the back surface 22 of the display device 20 (the surface opposite to the display surface 21), and the optical array member 31 faces the display surface 21. At this time, the display device 20 is located in the region surrounded by the optical array member 31, the arm portion 35, and the support wall portion 39, and the display surface 21 overlaps the optical array member 31 in the Z direction. When the optical array member 31 is in the open position (see Figure 6A), the display device 20 moves out of the area surrounded by the optical array member 31, the arm portion 35, and the support wall portion 39, and the display surface 21 does not overlap the optical array member 31 in the Z direction. At this time, the displayed image becomes visible to the viewer. In addition, the optical array member 31, the arm portion 35, and the support wall portion 39 may be configured to be movable in the Y direction relative to the display device 20 as a single unit, even if the above example is not applicable.
[0032] According to the above modified example 3, the following effects are achieved. The optical array member 31 is configured to be movable by the drive mechanism 30 in a direction parallel to the display surface 21 between the superimposed position Pc and the released position Po. With this configuration, the optical array member 31 can be moved between the superimposed position Pc and the released position Po by sliding it.
[0033] (Modifications 4 and 5) In the above embodiment, the optical array member 31 may be provided so as to face the display surface 21 in a non-parallel manner. In these modified examples 4 and 5, for example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the optical array member 31 of the drive mechanisms 30d and 30e of the vehicle display devices 10d and 10e is in the shape of a plate that is inclined so as it moves away from the arm portion 35 in the Y direction at the superposition position Pc, it approaches the display surface 21. Figure 7 relating to Modified Example 4 is a configuration based on the configurations of Figures 6A and 6B described above, and the internal angle between the optical array member 31 and the arm portion 35 is formed to be smaller than the internal angle between the optical array member 31 and the arm portion 35 in the configurations of Figures 6A and 6B described above. Figure 8 relating to Modified Example 5 is a configuration based on the configurations of Figures 2A and 2B described above, and the rotation angle of the optical array member 31 when moving between the superposition position Pc and the release position Po is set to be larger than the rotation angle in the configurations of Figures 2A and 2B described above.
[0034] (Experimental variation 6) In the above embodiment, the arm portion may be omitted, and the rotating shaft portion 40 may be configured to directly rotate the optical array member 31. In this modified example 6, for example, as shown in Figure 9, the rotating shaft portion 40 is located at the end of the optical array member 31 in the drive mechanism 30f of the vehicle display device 10f. In this example, the vehicle display device 10f is mounted on the dashboard 90, which is an example of a mounted part in the vehicle interior. The rotating shaft portion 40 is located at the lower end of the optical array member 31 (the end closer to the dashboard 90). When the optical array member 31 is in the superposition position Pc, the optical array member 31 faces the display surface 21 parallel to it. When the optical array member 31 rotates from the superposition position Pc to the release position Po, the upper end of the optical array member 31 tilts toward the display device 20. The optical array member 31 in the release position Po and the optical array member 31 in the superposition position Pc are oriented orthogonally to each other. Here, the optical surface Os of the optical array member 31 that refracts light is the surface of the optical array member 31 that is in the superposition position Pc and faces the display surface 21. The surface of the optical array member 31 opposite to the optical surface Os is formed as a plane that does not refract light. In the open position Po, the optical surface Os faces the dashboard 90 so as not to be exposed to the outside. This prevents the optical surface Os from being damaged. In addition to the example in Figure 9, when the optical array member 31 rotates from the superimposed position Pc to the release position Po, the upper end of the optical array member 31 may tilt away from the display device 20. In this case, it is preferable that the optical surface Os is formed on the surface of the optical array member 31 opposite to the surface facing the display device 20.
[0035] (Example 7) In the above embodiment, the optical array member 31 may be moved in a direction along the display surface 21 between the superimposed position Pc and the released position Po. In this modified example 7, for example, as shown in Figure 10, the drive mechanism 30g of the vehicle display device 10g is configured to be movable between the superimposed position in which the optical array member 31 faces the display surface 21 and the released position in which the optical array member 31 is located within the housing space 91 in the dashboard 90. The optical array member 31 may move inside and outside the housing space 91 by rotating around the rotation axis Ax of the rotation shaft portion 40. The optical array member 31 may also move inside and outside the housing space 91 together with the arm portions 35, 36, and 37.
[0036] According to the above modification 7, in addition to the same effects as the above modification 3, the following effects are achieved. The vehicle display device 10g is mounted on the vehicle's dashboard 90. The optical array member 31 is housed within the dashboard 90 when in the superimposed position, and when in the open position, it is positioned outside the dashboard 90 so as to cover the display surface 21 as seen by the viewer 1. With this configuration, the optical array member 31 in the open position is hidden and does not get in the way.
[0037] (Other variations) Next, we will explain variations other than those described in variations 1-7. In the above embodiment, the optical array member 31 was configured to move automatically between the superposition position Pc and the release position Po by the drive unit 45 and the control unit 50. However, instead of this automatic movement, or in addition to this automatic movement, the optical array member 31 may be configured to move manually between the superposition position Pc and the release position Po. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, the drive unit 45 is omitted, and the vehicle display device 10f includes a notification unit 46 that notifies the viewer 1 to move the optical array member 31 to the release position Po. When the optical array member 31 is in the superposition position Pc, the control unit 50 notifies the observer 1 via the notification unit 46 that it is prompting the observer 1 to move the optical array member 31 to the release position Po. Upon receiving this notification, the observer 1 manually moves the optical array member 31 from the superposition position Pc to the release position Po. When the optical array member 31 is in the open position Po, the control unit 50 notifies the observer 1 via the notification unit 46 that it is prompting the observer 1 to move the optical array member 31 to the superimposed position Pc if the detected ambient light intensity falls below the threshold Th. Upon receiving this notification, the observer 1 manually moves the optical array member 31 from the open position Po to the superimposed position Pc. The notification unit 46 may consist of a speaker or the like and provide notification by announcement or beep sound, or it may consist of a vibrator or the like and provide notification by vibration. Furthermore, the notification unit 46 may be a display device 20 and provide notification by display image D1 or aerial image D2. Furthermore, the control unit 50 may, upon receiving a switch operation from the observer 1, move the optical array member 31 between the superimposed position Pc and the released position Po via the drive unit 45. In this case, the control unit 50 may prompt the observer 1 to operate the switch by providing notification via the notification unit 46.
[0038] According to the above modification, the following effects are achieved. The drive mechanism 30 is configured to allow the optical array member 31 to be operated manually by the viewer 1 between the superimposed position Pc and the release position Po. The vehicle display device 10f includes a notification unit 46 that notifies the viewer 1 to move the optical array member 31 to the release position Po when the ambient light intensity exceeds a threshold Th that makes it difficult to see the aerial image D2 while the optical array member 31 is in the superimposed position Pc. This configuration prevents the continued display of aerial image D2 when visibility is low.
[0039] In the above embodiments and modifications, the rotating shaft portion 40 extended in the X direction, but it may also extend in a direction other than the X direction, for example, in the Y direction or the Z direction. In the above embodiments and modifications, a protective plate made of a light-transmitting resin such as acrylic or polycarbonate may be attached to the optical array member 31. It is preferable that this protective plate be placed on the optical surface Os. In the above embodiment, the vehicle 100 may be an automobile other than a motorcycle. [Explanation of symbols]
[0040] 1…Sighted person 10,10a~10g... Vehicle display device 20...Display device, 21...Display surface, 22...Back surface 30, 30a~30g... Drive mechanism 31... Optical array member, 31a, 31b... End portion 35,36,37...arm part, 35a...first end part, 35b...second end part 39...Support wall section, 39a...Support rail 40... Rotating shaft 45…Drive unit 46... Hochi Department 50…Control Unit 55... Illuminance sensor 90...Dashboard, 91...Accommodation space 100...vehicles D1…Displayed image, D2…Aerial image Pc... Superimposed position, Po... Release position SL...Sunlight, Ax...Rotation axis, Th...Threshold, Os...Optical surface
Claims
1. A display device that displays an image on its surface, An optical array member that, when in a position overlapping the display surface as seen by the viewer, receives display light from the display image and makes an aerial image corresponding to the display image visible to the viewer, The optical array member comprises a drive mechanism configured to move between the superimposed position and an open position in which the display surface is not covered from the viewer's perspective, and the display surface is directly visible to the viewer. Vehicle display device.
2. The aforementioned drive mechanism is An arm portion connected to the end of the optical array member so as to intersect with the optical array member, The optical array member is rotatable around a rotation axis that extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the arm and the optical array member are aligned, so as to move between the superimposed position and the released position. The vehicle display device according to claim 1.
3. The drive mechanism is configured to allow the optical array member to be operated between the superimposed position and the released position by the operator. The vehicle display device includes a notification unit that, when the light intensity of ambient light exceeds a threshold that makes it difficult to view the aerial image while the optical array member is in the superimposed position, prompts the viewer to move the optical array member to the open position. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2.
4. The aforementioned drive mechanism is A drive unit for moving the optical array member between the superimposed position and the release position, The system includes a control unit that, when the ambient light intensity exceeds a threshold that makes it difficult to view the aerial image while the optical array member is in the superimposed position, moves the optical array member from the superimposed position to the release position via the drive unit. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2.
5. The optical array member is configured to slide between the superimposed position and the released position in a direction parallel to the display surface by the drive mechanism. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2.
6. The aforementioned vehicle display device is mounted on the vehicle's dashboard. The optical array member is housed within the dashboard when in the superimposed position, and positioned outside the dashboard to cover the display surface as seen by the viewer when in the open position. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2.
7. The arm portion is formed as a light-shielding visor on the upper part of the display surface by a light-shielding member to suppress the incidence of external light onto the display surface. The vehicle display device according to claim 2.