Vehicle display device

Abstract

To provide a vehicular display device allowing visual recognition of vehicle information even in a state that a virtual image is hardly visible.SOLUTION: A vehicular display device displays virtual images V1, V2 by first display light L1 and second display light L2. A first display device 15 emits the first display light L1. A second display device 51 emits the second display light l2. Control means 200 causes the first display device 15 to display first information and causes the second display device 51 to display second information. The control means 200 causes the second display device 51 to display the first information under a prescribed condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle display device that displays a virtual image. [Background technology]

[0002] Various head-up display devices have been proposed in the past that project display light onto the windshield of a vehicle to display a virtual image, and are disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. Such head-up display devices project display light emitted from a display onto the windshield via a reflecting mirror such as a concave mirror, to display vehicle information as a virtual image. The driver of the vehicle can visually recognize the virtual image superimposed on the actual view ahead of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-6289 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-described head-up display device has a problem in that the virtual image may be temporarily difficult to see. For example, during snowfall or in backlit conditions, the contrast ratio between the real scene and the virtual image becomes small, making it difficult to see the virtual image. The present invention has been made in consideration of this problem, and provides a vehicle display device that allows vehicle information to be seen even in conditions in which the virtual image is difficult to see. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention is a vehicle display device comprising a first display device 15 that emits a first display light L1, a second display device 51 that emits a second display light L2, and a control means 200 that causes the first display device 15 to display first information and the second display device 51 to display second information, and displays virtual images V1 and V2 using the first display light L1 and the second display light L2, and is characterized in that the control means 200 causes the second display device 51 to display the first information under predetermined conditions.

[0006] The present invention is also characterized in that it further comprises an illuminance detection element 380 that detects illuminance and outputs illuminance data to the control means 200 .

[0007] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the control means 200 causes the second display 51 to display the first information when the illuminance data becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0008] The present invention is also characterized in that it further comprises a switching means 64 for turning the first display 15 on and off.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the control means 200 causes the second display 51 to display the first information when the first display 15 is turned off by the switching means 64. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] Even during snowfall or backlit conditions, information can be clearly seen through the virtual image. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams illustrating display examples according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams illustrating display examples according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a description will be given of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle display device 10. The vehicle display device 10 includes a head-up display device 11 and a display 51.

[0014] The head-up display device 11 is disposed in a dashboard 12 of a vehicle (see FIG. 2). Display light L1 projected by the head-up display device 11 is reflected toward a vehicle driver D by a transparent portion of a windshield 13. The vehicle driver D can visually recognize a virtual image V1 superimposed on a real view.

[0015] The head-up display device 11 has a liquid crystal display 15 and a reflector 16 housed in a housing 17. The liquid crystal display 15 has a liquid crystal display panel 19, light-emitting diodes 20, and a case body 21, and emits display light L1 from a screen 15a. The screen 15a of the liquid crystal display 15 is rectangular, and the vertical direction of the screen 15a corresponds to the up-down direction of the virtual image V. The liquid crystal display panel 19 has a liquid crystal cell 23, polarizing plates 24 and 25, and is fixed to the case body 21.

[0016] The case body 21 has a generally rectangular cylindrical shape, and the liquid crystal display panel 19 is held at the front end of the case body 21. The rear end of the case body 21 is fixed to a heat dissipation member, which will be described later. The light emitting diodes 20 are disposed behind the liquid crystal display panel 19 and transmit light to illuminate the liquid crystal display panel 19. The light emitting diodes 20 are mounted on a circuit board 27. The liquid crystal display 15 is turned on when the push button switch 64 is operated, and is turned off when the push button switch 64 is operated again. In other words, the liquid crystal display 15 is turned on / off by the vehicle driver D operating the push button switch 64.

[0017] The reflector 16 has a concave mirror 30, a holding member 31, and a stepping motor 32. The concave mirror 30 is made of resin (e.g., polycarbonate) on which a metal (e.g., aluminum) is vapor-deposited to form a reflective surface 30a. The reflective surface 30a is concave, and the display light L1 emitted by the liquid crystal display 15 is magnified to display a virtual image V1. The concave mirror 30 is adhered to the holding member 31 with double-sided adhesive tape. The holding member 31 is made of resin (e.g., ABS), and a gear portion 34 and a shaft portion 35 are formed integrally. The shaft portion 35 of the holding member 31 is journaled to the housing 17.

[0018] A gear 37 is attached to the rotary shaft of the stepping motor 32, and this gear 37 is meshed with a gear portion 34 of the holding member 31. The concave mirror 30 is supported in a rotatable state together with the holding member 31, and the stepping motor 32 rotates the concave mirror 30, thereby adjusting the projection direction of the display light L1. The vehicle driver D operates push button switches 62, 63 to adjust the angular position of the concave mirror 30 so that the display light L1 is reflected to the position of the driver's eyes (i.e., so that the virtual image V1 can be viewed). The drive mechanism M consists of the stepping motor 32 and the gear 37.

[0019] Reference numeral 40 denotes a heat dissipation member, which is disposed in an opening 17a of the housing 17. The heat dissipation member 40 is fixed to the housing 17 at a flange portion 40a with screws (not shown). The heat dissipation member 40 dissipates heat from the light-emitting diodes 20 to the outside of the housing 17 via a heat conduction sheet 41 made of an elastic material such as silicone rubber. The heat dissipation member 40 has a large number of flat plate-shaped heat dissipation fins 40b.

[0020] The heat dissipation member 40 has rectangular parallelepiped-shaped protrusions 40c formed thereon. The heat conduction sheet 41 has recesses 41a corresponding to the protrusions 40c of the heat dissipation member 40, thereby increasing the contact area between the heat conduction sheet 41 and the heat dissipation member 40. Reference numeral 42 denotes a rectangular annular packing member, which blocks the gap between the heat dissipation member 40 and the opening 17a of the housing 17, thereby preventing dust from entering the housing 17.

[0021] The housing 17 accommodates the liquid crystal display 15 and the reflector 16. The housing 17 is provided with a window 44 through which the display light L1 exits. The window 44 is made of a light-transmitting resin (e.g., acrylic) and has a curved shape. The housing 17 is provided with a light-shielding wall 17c, which prevents external light such as sunlight from entering the liquid crystal display 15 and making the virtual image V1 difficult to see (washout). The light-shielding wall 17c has a flat plate shape and is formed to hang down obliquely from the top of the housing 17.

[0022] The display 51 is a liquid crystal display consisting of a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) liquid crystal display panel and a backlight that transmits and illuminates the liquid crystal display panel. Display light L2 emitted by the display 51 is projected onto a light-shielding portion 13a formed near the bottom edge of the windshield 13, and a virtual image V2 is displayed. The light-shielding portion 13a is made of black ceramic.

[0023] 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vehicle display device 10. The control means 200 has a control unit 210, an image generation unit 220, and an image memory 230. The control means 200 drives the liquid crystal display panel 19 to display an image on the liquid crystal display panel 19. The control means also drives the display device 51 to display an image. The control means 200 is connected to an in-vehicle communication bus 300 such as a CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0024] The vehicle ECU 340, the exterior communication unit 360, the navigation system 370, and the illuminance sensor 380 are connected to the in-vehicle communication bus 300. The illuminance sensor 380 includes a photodiode and a transistor, detects the illuminance around the vehicle, and outputs the illuminance data to the control means 200. The optical axis of the illuminance sensor 380 faces forward (in the forward direction) of the vehicle.

[0025] 5 is a diagram showing a display example of virtual images V1 and V2. When the push button switch 64 is operated to turn on the liquid crystal display 15, the vehicle display device 10 displays a vehicle speed V1a, a speed limit V1b, and a set inter-vehicle distance V1c as the virtual image V1. The vehicle display device 10 also displays a vehicle speed V2a, a shift position V2b, a remaining fuel amount V2c, and various indicators V2d and V2e as the virtual image V2.

[0026] When the illuminance data output from the illuminance sensor 380 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control means 200 turns off the display on the liquid crystal display 15 and displays the speed limit and the set inter-vehicle distance value on the display 51. As a result, the speed limit V2f and the set inter-vehicle distance value V2g are displayed as the virtual image V2.

[0027] According to this embodiment, even in a situation where the contrast ratio between the real scene and the virtual image is small, the display 51 can display the virtual image V2, allowing the vehicle driver D to visually recognize the speed limit V2f and the set inter-vehicle distance V2g.

[0028] The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment and various modifications are possible. For example, the vehicle display device 10 projects the second display light L2 emitted by the display 51 onto the light-shielding portion 13a of the windshield 13. However, the second display light L2 may be projected onto a reflective member separate from the windshield 13. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 15 LCD display (first display) 51 LCD display (second display) 64 Push button switch (switching means) 200 Control Means 380 Illuminance sensor (illuminance detection element) L1 display light L2 display light V1 Virtual Image V2 Virtual Image D. Vehicle driver

Claims

1. A vehicle display device comprising: a first display device that emits a first display light; a second display device that emits a second display light; and control means that causes the first display device to display first information and the second display device to display second information, the vehicle display device displaying a virtual image using the first display light and the second display light, The vehicle display device is characterized in that the control means causes the second display device to display the first information under predetermined conditions.

2. 2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, further comprising an illuminance detection element that detects illuminance and outputs illuminance data to the control means.

3. 3. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the control means causes the second display device to display the first information when the illuminance data reaches or exceeds a predetermined value.

4. 4. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, further comprising a switching means for turning on / off the first display.

5. 5. The vehicle display device according to claim 4, wherein the control means causes the second display to display the first information when the first display is turned off by the switching means.

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