CA2076420C - Windshield for head-up display system - Google Patents
Windshield for head-up display systemInfo
- Publication number
- CA2076420C CA2076420C CA002076420A CA2076420A CA2076420C CA 2076420 C CA2076420 C CA 2076420C CA 002076420 A CA002076420 A CA 002076420A CA 2076420 A CA2076420 A CA 2076420A CA 2076420 C CA2076420 C CA 2076420C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- predetermined area
- plies
- windshield
- glass
- thickness
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
- B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B32B17/00—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
- B32B17/06—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
- B32B17/10—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin
- B32B17/10005—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing
- B32B17/10009—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing characterized by the number, the constitution or treatment of glass sheets
- B32B17/10036—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing characterized by the number, the constitution or treatment of glass sheets comprising two outer glass sheets
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
- G02B27/01—Head-up displays
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
- B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B32B17/00—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
- B32B17/06—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
- B32B17/10—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin
- B32B17/10005—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing
- B32B17/10165—Functional features of the laminated safety glass or glazing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
- B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B32B17/00—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
- B32B17/06—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
- B32B17/10—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin
- B32B17/10005—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing
- B32B17/1055—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing characterized by the resin layer, i.e. interlayer
- B32B17/10559—Shape of the cross-section
- B32B17/10568—Shape of the cross-section varying in thickness
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
- B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B32B17/00—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
- B32B17/06—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
- B32B17/10—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin
- B32B17/10005—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing
- B32B17/1055—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing characterized by the resin layer, i.e. interlayer
- B32B17/10761—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing characterized by the resin layer, i.e. interlayer containing vinyl acetal
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
- G02B27/01—Head-up displays
- G02B27/0101—Head-up displays characterised by optical features
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
- G02B27/01—Head-up displays
- G02B27/0101—Head-up displays characterised by optical features
- G02B2027/0118—Head-up displays characterised by optical features comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
- G02B2027/012—Head-up displays characterised by optical features comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
- G02B27/01—Head-up displays
- G02B27/0101—Head-up displays characterised by optical features
- G02B2027/0118—Head-up displays characterised by optical features comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
- G02B2027/012—Head-up displays characterised by optical features comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
- G02B2027/0121—Parasitic image effect attenuation by suitable positioning of the parasitic images
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
- G02B27/0018—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00 with means for preventing ghost images
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Instrument Panels (AREA)
- Joining Of Glass To Other Materials (AREA)
Abstract
A windshield for a head-up display system has a pair of opposing major surfaces that are nonparallel to one another either throughout its extent or in selected areas. Light rays directed toward the nonparallel area of the windshield are reflected from the outer and inner major surfaces of the windshield and directed toward the eye of the observer as parallel or superimposed light rays to eliminate ghost images when viewing images projected by the head-up display system through the windshield.
Description
2076~20 .~_ WINDSHIELD FOR HEAD-UP DISPLAY SYSTEM
Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a windshield for a head-up display system and in particular to an automotive windshield functioning as 15 the combiner for the head-up display system and having a wedged configuration for some selected portion of the windshield area, particularly in the viewing area of the head-up display, to eliminate double imaging.
20 2A. Technical Considerations A head-up display system is a visual display arrangement that displays information to a viewer while he simultaneously views the road and objects outside his vehicle around and through the display. Head-up display systems are often incorporated into 25 aircraft cockpits for pilots to monitor flight information. More recently the systems have been used in land vehicles such as cars, trucks and the like. The display is generally positioned so that the viewer does not have to glance downward to the vehicle dashboard and away from the viewing area in front of the vehicle as is required of 30 a vehicle operator viewing vehicle operating information in a vehicle not having a head-up display.
A head-up display system generally includes a display projection system, a collimator, and a combiner. The projection system includes a light source that projects operating information 3~ through the collimator which generally aligns the projected light rays. The collimated light is then reflected off the combiner, which is in the vehicle operator's field of view. In this manner, vehicle ~_ - 2 -information such as, for example, fuel information and vehicle speed is displayed within the operator's field of vision through the windshield and permits the operator to safely maintain eye contact with the road and other objects outside his vehicle while 5 simultaneously viewing the displayed information. The reflected images of the display may be focused at a position anywhere from immediately in front of the vehicle to optical infinity.
Laminated windshields have been used as the combiner in a head-up display system to reflect a primary display image as taught 10 in U.S. Patent No. 2,264,044 to Lee. However, it has been observed that a ~econdary image is reflected off the outer surface of the windshield. This secondary image is superimposed over but offset from the primary image and reduces the overall image clarity.
It would be advantageous to have a windshield for a head-up 15 display system which functions as a combiner and provides a clear display image without producing double images when viewing through the head-up display area, without distorting the view through other portions of the window not associated with the head-up display system, and without incorporating additional components with the 20 windshield.
2B. Patents of Interest U.S. Patent No. 1,871,877 to Buckman teaches a display system having a glass sheet mounted on the wind~hield or dashboard 25 which reflects instrumentation information to the vehicle operator.
U.S. Patent No. 2,264,044 to Lee teaches a motor vehicle having an illuminated speedometer display that is reflected off the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield.
U.S. Patent No. 2,641,152 to M~hfllAkis teaches a vehicle 30 proJection device wherein instrumentation information is reflected off of a reflecting screen on the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield. The reflecting surface has a satin finish and can be metal, glass, or plastic.
U.S. Patent No. 2,750,833 to Gross teaches an optical 35 display system for eliminating double images which occur in reflector type sights such as those used in aircraft gun sighting installations. A collimated light beam is polarized and separated ~_ - 3 -into two ray branches. One of the two ray branches i8 then eliminated.
U.S. Patent No. 3,276,813 to Shaw, Jr. teaches a motor vehicle display system which utilizes a highly reflective coating on 5 the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield to reflect instrumentation information to the vehicle operator.
U.S. Patent No. 3,446,916 to Abel teaches an image combiner utilizing a portion of the aircraft window. The inner ~urface portion of the window is coated with a partially reflective film.
U.S. Patent Nos. 3,554,722, 3,591,261, and 3,647,285 to Harvey et al. teaches a double glazed glass window structure which eliminates objectionable fringe patterns produced in this structure when float glass of non-uniform thickness is utilized. The window structure includes a pair of spaced apart, float glass sheets one or 15 both of which are tapered from a thick edge to an opposing thin edge. When both the glass sheets are tapered, the glass sheets are positioned such that a thick edge of one glass sheet is spaced from a thin edge of the opposing glass sheet.
U.S. Patent No. 3,697,154 to Johnson teaches an optical 20 viewing system in which images formed on the screen of a cathode ray tube (CRT) are reflected from a curved mirror having a general aspheric surface of revolution to a partially reflective combiner having two nonparallel hyperboloid surfaces, the combiner being positioned in the normal line of sight of an observer such that a 25 collimated CRT image is reflected from the near surface of the combiner to the observer's eyes and the combiner being adapted to transmit light incident from the outside so that the CRT display is superimposed without parallax on the real world to provide a head-up display.
U.S. Patent No. 3,870,405 to Hedges teaches a visor for use an optical element in a helmet-mounted sight having inner and outer surfaces being sections of ofocal paraboloids of revolution.
U.S. Patent No. 3,899,241 to Malobicky, Jr. et al. teaches a windshield adapted for use in aircraft and includes a transparent 35 reflective coating on the inboard surface in the center portion of the forward vision area to form a vision image receiving area.
Il 2076420 _ - 4 -Vehicle information is reflected off the reflective coating to the vehicle operator.
U.S. Patent No. 3,940,204 to Withrington and 4,218,111 to Withrington et al. teach an optical display system utilizing 5 holographic lenses.
U.S. Patent No. 4,261,635 to Freeman teaches a head-up display system including a holographic combiner positioned inboard of the vehicle windshield. The hologram i8 disposed substantially orthogonal to and midway along an axis between the observer's eye 10 position and the projection optics so as to deviate light from an image produced by the projection optics to the observer eye with minimal field aberration.
U.S. Patent No. 4,398,799 to Swift teaches a head-up display system which simultaneously records the pilot's view by reflecting 15 the outside scene and the projected display by reflecting the outside scene and superimposed display off a mirror mounted on the pilot's helmet and recording the reflected view with a camera mounted on the pilot's helmet.
U.S. Patent No. 4,613,200 to Hartman teaches a head-up 20 display system which uses two parallel holographic optical elements to reflect instrumentation information to the vehicle operator. One of the elements is made part of or attached to the vehicle windshield.
U.S. Patent No. 4,711,544 to Iino et al. teaches a display system for a vehicle wherein instrumentation information is reflected 25 off the front glass of the vehicle so that the image display can be formed in a desired position, aligned with the line of sight of the driver without obstructing the front sight of the driver.
U.S. Patent No. 4,787,711 and 4,892,386 and European Patent No. 229,076 to Suzuki et al. teach an on-vehicle head-up display 30 device employing a catoptric system for a windshield glass of an automobile to project a display image onto an inner surface of the windshield glass, an optical system for letting a virtual image of the display image of the display means enter the windshield glass is adapted to make an angle formed by light beams of the virtual image 35 entering the windshield glass less than a monocular resolving power and an optical means for correcting parallax of the light beams of the virtual image is provided between the optical system and the ~ - 5 - ~ ~7~ ~2a windshield glass to thus eliminate double imaging and binocular parallax.
Defensive Publication No. T861,037 to Christensen teaches a tapered or wedged vinyl interlayer for use in laminating windshields such that the interlayer is thicker at the top of the windshield than at the bottom of the windshield in order to eliminate double vision caused by the windshield curvature and angle of installation.
The present disclosure provides a windshield for a head-up display system that reduces the degree of double imaging that occurs when a laminated windshield is used as the combiner in the display system. The windshield functions as a combiner for the head-up display system without requiring any additional elements or components to be incorporated onto or into the windshield assembly.
The windshield is constructed such that selected opposing, outer major surfaces of the windshield are non-parallel with the opposing outer major surfaces oriented relative to each other so that an image, projected from a display source and reflected off a first major surface of the windshield, is substantially superimposed over or parallel to the same image from the display source reflected off the opposing outer major surface of the windshield.
In one embodiment, the windshield includes a pair of glass plies secured to each other by a sheet of thermoplastic interlayer material. The windshield has opposed outer major surfaces that are tapered in thickness from one edge to the other. This may be accomplished by having one or both plies and/or the sheet of interlayer material tapered in thickness from one edge to the other.
In another embodiment the windshield has a selected area that has the outer major surfaces of the windshield non-parallel to one another, and the outer major surfaces of the windshield at the remaining area generally parallel to one another. In this manner, the degree of double imaging is reduced in the area where the outer surfaces are non-parallel to one another, and the optical distortion B~
~- - 6 - 2~4~
in the remaining area is improved because the outer surfaces are parallel to one another. This may be accomplished by having one or both of the glass plies and/or the sheet of interlayer material partially tapered in thickness such that when the plies and sheet are joined together, the outer major surfaces of the windshield in the selected area are nonparallel to one another with the rem~'n;ng area of the outer major surfaces of the windshield generally parallel to one another in the area other.
Interlayer containing a wedged or tapered section may be achieved by casting the interlayer to the desired configuration, extruding the desired cross sectional thickness, or differentially stretching the interlayer to the desired shape. When the glass plies and the interlayer having the tapered section are assembled and laminated to form a unitary structure, the opposing major surfaces of the laminate are non-parallel in the area of the tapered section and offset at a predetermined angle in the vicinity of the tapered section. The windshield in use is positioned relative to a display system such that the images generated by light rays from the display source reflected off the non-parallel opposing major surfaces of the windshield or laminate are substantially superimposed over or parallel to each other such that double imaging is reduced if not eliminated, while the r~m~ln;ng sections of the windshield have the outer major surfaces substantially parallel to one another to eliminate or minimize optical distortion of objects viewed through the rem~;n;ng area of the windshield.
The disclosure also contemplates making the windshields by joining glass sheets and a sheet of interlayer material to provide a windshield having the outer surfaces parallel in a first predetermined area and nonparallel in a second predetermined area.
More particularly in accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided, an article comprising a transparent substrate having a first major surface, a second opposite major r,~
- 6a - ~ ~ 7 ~ 4 2 ~
surface, a first predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are substantially parallel to one another, and a second predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are nonparallel to one another.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided, a method of making an automotive transparency providing a pair of glass plies and a sheet of interlayer material each having a predetermined thickness throughout their length and width; and securing said pair of plies together about said sheet of interlayer material to provide a laminate with outer surfaces having a first predetermined area of constant thickness and second predetermined area of varying thickness.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs Figure 1 is a schematic of head-up display system for vehicle.
Figure 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of Figure 1 illustrating a head-up display using a prior art windshield.
Figure 3 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of Figure 1 illustrating a head-up display using a windshield 4 ~ ~
incorporating features embodied in the present invention.
Figure 4 is an éxploded cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.
Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of alternate 5 embodiments of the invention.
Detailed Descri~tion of the Preferred Embodiments The present invention relates to the elimination of double imaging in a head-up display system that uses an automotive 10 windshield as the combiner, but it should be appreciated that the present invention may be used in any type of combiner having a laminate construction where double imaging is to be eliminated.
With reference to Figure 1, head-up display 10 system includes a motor vehicle windshield 12, an image source 14 and a 15 projection assembly 16, preferably mounted immediately beneath the upper surface of the vehicle dashboard 18 and positioned between the image source 14 and windshield 12. Light rays emanate from the image source 14 and are projected onto the windshield 12, which operates as a combiner as will be discussed later, and reflected into the field 20 of vision of the vehicle operator or observer 20. The light rays projected onto the windshield 12 are collimated so as to create a virtual image in front of the car, preferably at about 5 to 50 feet (3 to 15 meters) in front of the windshield 12.
Although not limiting in the present invention, the image 25 source 14 preferably is a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD) that is adequately illuminated to project information carrying light rays through the projection assembly 16 onto the windshield 12 at a location within the vehicle operators direct line of sight while permitting peripheral viewing of the road and objects outside of the 30 vehicle as the operator or observer 20 monitors the display. It is contemplated that alternative viewing locations will also provide an effective head-up display for the vehicle windshield. The displayed image (not shown) may include numerical or graphical symbols including for example, vehicle speed, fuel level, engine RPMs, 35 temperature, and warning symbols.
The following discussion will be directed towards the use of a prior art windshield as the combiner in a head-up display system ~ 2076~20 _ - 8 -which projects an image a finite distance in front of the windshield. In particular, referring to Figure 2, windshield 30 represents a windshield assembly with the opposing inner and outer major surfaces of the windshield being parallel to each other for the 5 full length of the windshield, i.e. from the top edge to the opposite edge and between the side edges. The windshield 30 includes outer glass ply 32 bonded to inner glass ply 34 by an interlayer material 36. Because the thickness of the interlayer 36 is fairly uniform and the opposing major surfaces of each glass ply are substantially 10 parallel to each other, i.e., inner surface 37 of the ply 32 is parallel to its outer surface 38 and inner surface 39 of the ply 34 i8 parallel to its outer surface 40, the outer major surface 38 of the glass ply 32 is parallel to the outer major surface 40 of the glass ply 34 after the glass plies 32 and 34 and interlayer 36 are 15 laminated together to form a unitary structure. Although not limiting in the present invention, for the purposes of illustration, surfaces 38 and 40 are assumed to be planar in the following discussion. However, the surfaces may be non-planar, as will be discussed later.
With continued reference to Figure 2, a light ray A from image source 14 is directed along line 42 and a portion of the light ray A is reflected off surface 40 of the ply 34 along line 44 to eye 46 of the vehicle operator 20. Additional light rays from the source 14 are directed along additional lines. For example, light ray B is 25 directed along line 48 and a portion of the light ray B is reflected off the surface 40 along line 50 toward the vehicle operator 20.
However, the ray B along the line 50 is not directed to the eye 46 as shown in Fig. 2 so it will not be detected by the observer 20.
A portion of the light ray B which is directed along line 48 30 will enter the windshield assembly 30 and be refracted along line 52. The angular difference between the lines 48 and 52 depends on the angle of refraction as the light ray passes through the air and into the glass ply 34. The angle of refraction in turn depends, in part, on the angle at which ray B is incident on the surface 40 and 35 the relative densities of the air and the glass. The ray B passes through the windshield assembly 30 and a portion of the light ray B
i8 reflected off the surface 38 of the ply 32 along line 54. It is 1 2076~20 -g assumed that the refractive index of interlayer 36 is essentially the same as that of the glass plies 32 and 34 so that the light rays are not redirected as they pass through the wlndshield assembly 30 along lines 52 and 54.
A portion of the light ray B leaves the windshield assembly 30 at the surface 40 of the glass ply 34 where the direction of the light is again changed due to the difference in the refraction index between the windshield assembly 30 and the air, as discussed earlier, and directed along line 56 to the operator's eye 46. Because the 10 light rays A and B received by the eye 46 from the image source 14 are along two different lines, i.e. lines 44 and 56, which are convergent toward one another to the eye of the observer 20 rather than parallel, the observer 20 will perceive two offset images where in fact there is only one image source 14. The first image 58, or 15 virtual image, is the image seen by the observer Z0 from the portion of the light ray A directed along line 44. The second image 60 is the image seen by the observer 20 from the portion of the light ray B
directed along line 56.
When viewing both images, the virtual image 58 will appear 20 brighter than the second image 60 because a greater portion of the light from the image source 14 which was initially directed along line 42 will be directed along line 44 as compared to the amount of light initially directed along line 48 and which is finally directed along line 56 to the observer 20. This condition of seeing two 25 offset images is commonly referred to as double imaging, or ghost imaging, and results when the outer surfaces of the windshield assembly, i.e. surfaces 38 and 40 of windshield assembly 30, are parallel to each other. Stated another way, double imaging occurs when the light rays A and B, projected from image source 14 onto 30 parallel surfaces 38 and 40, are directed toward the eye of the observer along non-parallel lines, i.e., lines 44 and 56 which converge toward each other to the eye 46 of the operator 20.
In order to reduce the amount of double imaging in the windshield assembly 30, the present invention modifies the windshield 35 structure by adjusting the spaced relationship of the surfaces 38 and 40 relative to one another such that the portion of the light rays A
and B directed to the eye of the observer are superimposed over or o parallel to one another. Although not limiting in the present invention, referring to Figure 3 which illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, windshield 130 includes outer glass ply 132 bonded to inner glass ply 134 by an interlayer material, e.g., a 5 thermoplastic material 136 along inner major surfaces 137 and 139 of plies 132 and 134, respectively. The interlayer 136 is fabricated in such a way as to gradually taper in thickness from top to bottom of the windshield with the thicker section at the top edge as reviewed in Figure 3. In other alternate embodiments of the invention to be 10 discussed in detail below, the interlayer may be of tapered thickness for a selected portion and of constant thickness for other portions to provide a windshield that has the outer major surfaces of the windshield nonparallel to one another in the area having the section of the interlayer havin~ the tapered thickness and outer major 15 surfaces of the windshield parallel to one another in the areas having the sections of the interlayer having the constant thickness.
As a result of the "wedged" shape section of the interlayer, when the windshield components are assembled and laminated, outer ~major surface 138 of glass ply 132 and outer major surface 140 of 20 glass ply 134 will be non-parallel. It has been found that by controlling the amount by which the glass plies 132 and 134 of the windshield 130 are offset from each other, the double imaging encountered when using a windshield as shown in Figure 2 as a combiner can be reduced in a manner to be discussed below. The 25 actual wedge angle X required to reduce the double imaging depends, in part, upon the thickness of the windshield, the windshield materials, and the relative positions and orientations of the image source 14, the windshield 130 and the vehicle operator 20. Although not limiting in the present invention, the interlayer 136 can be cast 30 in place to provide the desired wedge angle X. As an alternative, the interlayer 136 can be differentially stretched in any convenient manner known in the art, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
4,201,351 to Tolliver and U.S. Patent No. 4,554,713 to Chabel, ~ith continued reference to Figure 3, the discussion will 35 now be directed to the elimination or minimization of double images or ghost images using a windshield that has wedge or taper, i.e., B
nonparallel outer surfaces. Light ray Al from the image source 14 is directed along line 142 and a portion of the light ray Al is reflected off the surface 140 along line 144 to the eye 46. Another portion of the light ray Bl directed along line 148 is reflected from 5 the surface 140 along line 150 such that it i8 not seen by the observer 20 as was discussed for the portion of the light ray B
reflected from the surface 40 along line 50 of the prior art arrangement shown in Fig. 2. The remaining portions of the ray Bl are refracted through the glass plies 132 and 134 and the interlayer 10 136 along line 152 and refracted as it leaves the assembly 130 to the observer's eye 46 along line 144 in a similar manner as that discussed for the ray B shown in Figure 2. However, unlike the windshield assembly 30 in Figure 2 wherein the line 56 from the ray B
is along a different orientation than line 44 from ray A, in the 15 present invention as shown in Figure 3, the wedge angle X is such that the refracted light from light ray Bl exits the assembly 130 along the line 144, i.e., parallel or superimposed over the light from ray Al reflected off the surface 140 of the glass ply 134 also moving along the line 144. As a result, the image viewed by the 20 observer 20 resulting from light rays Al and Bl are superimposed over or parallel to each other 80 that there is viewed only a single image 158.
It should be appreciated that in a windshield assembly, the surfaces 138 and 140 of the glass plies 132 and 134, respectively, 25 are often not planar but rather have a curved configuration.
However, the amount of relative curvature in the windshield assembly 130 within the small area used as the combiner is relatively small so that the area within the combiner portion of the windshield 130 is nearly planar. Furthermore, if required due to excessive curvature 30 of the windshield within the combiner area, the image from the image source 18 can be distorted, for example by incorporating additional lens arrangements (not shown) into the projection assembly 16 (shown only in Figure 1) to account for the curvature of the windshield surfaces.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the windshield 130 includes 0.090 inch (2.3 mm) thick glass plies and two polyvinylbutryl interlayer plies. Each interlayer ply is originally 4 ~. ~
0.020 inches (0.05 mm) thick and is differentially stretched so that each interlayer ply has a taper of approximately 0.003 inches (0.076 mm) over a 36 inch (91 cm) interlayer width for a combined thickness differential of approximately 0.006 inches (0.152 mm) from the top to 5 the bottom edge (as viewed in Figure 3) when incorporated into the windshield 130. Referrin~ to Figure 1, it has been observed that a windshield of this construction, mounted in a vehicle at an installation angle Y of approximately 30~ from the horizontal with an angle of incidence Z between the windshield 12 and image source 14 of 10 approximately 65~ significantly reduces the amount of double imaging in a head-up display system as compared to a conventional windshield having a non-wedged configuration.
Although the windshield configuration 130 as shown in Figure 3 includes two glass sheets each having 15 generally parallel opposing major surfaces and a tapered interlayer ply, based on the teachings of this disclosure, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that other windshield configurations can be used to provide a wedged windshield configuration similar to that shown in Figure 3. In particular, referring to Figure 4, one or both of the 20 glass plies 232 and 234 may be provided with a taper such that when the assembly 230 is laminated to form a unitary structure using a non-stretched interlayer 236, opposing surfaces 234 and 236 of the windshield 230 are non-parallel and are oriented relative to each other so as to eliminate the double imaging. It is further 25 contemplated that one or more tapered interlayer may be used in combination with one or more tapered glass plies so that the final laminated assembly provides a required windshield construction having the configuration required to reduce double imaging. In other words, the invention is not directed to providing glass plies and a sheet of 30 interlayer that does or doesn't have a taper as long as a~ter the plies are secured about the interlayer the outer surfaces of the windshield are nonparallel so that the portions of the light rays and Bl directed toward the eye of the observer are parallel or superimposed over one another along the line 144 as shown in Figure 3.
It has been contemplated that the use of a partial wedge may be preferred to solve the problem of double imaging by use of a wedge area in the head-up display area of the windshield while at the same ~3 ; 2076420 -time solving the ~n; 'zing optical distortions associated with viewing objects through wedged glass. More particularly, it has been noted that the use of non-tapering or non-wedged areas of laminated glass, i.e., outer surfaces of the laminated windshield substantially 5 parallel to one another for the upper portion of a windshield as mounted with the tapering or wedged areas at or near the bottom of the windshield as mounted, improves the optics of the windshield.
More particularly, a vehicle operator viewing an object such as a traffic light at a 45~ angle through an upper area of the windshield 10 encounters less double vision of objects viewed through a non-tapered or non-wedged windshield than a tapered or wedged windshield.
However, a vehicle operator viewing an object such as a head-up display at a 90~ angle through the bottom portion of the windshield will observe a double image for the reason discussed above. Thus, a 15 windshield having a partial wedge area such as the windshield types shown in Figures 5 and 6 would be advantageous over a windshield of the type shown in Figure 3 that has a taper or wedge from the top edge of the windshield to the opposite or bottom edge.
In the following discussions regarding Figures 5 and 6, the 20 left hand side of windshields 330 and 430 as viewed in Figures 5 and 6, respectively, is the top end of the windshield as mounted in a vehicle and the right side as viewed in Figures 5 and 6 is the opposite or bottom end of the windshield as mounted. With reference to Figure 5, the windshield 330 has glass plies 332 and 334 secured 25 to each other about interlayer 336. The windshield 330 has a partial wedge by providing outer surface 338 of the glass ply 332 nonparallel to the outer surface 340 of glass ply 334 in the mid-area 337 and the outer surfaces 338 and 340 of the glass plies 332 and 334, respectively, in the upper area 342 and lower area 344 parallel to 30 one another. This may be accomplished by providing the glass plies 332 and 334 with a constant thickness throughout their length, i.e.
from the top edge to the bottom edge of the windshield and width, i.e. from one side to the other side (only one side shown in Figure 5 and 6), and the portions of interlayer 336 in the top and bottom 35 areas 342 and 344, respectively, of the windshield 330 with constant thickness and the portion of the interlayer in the mid-area 337 with a tapered thickness.
2076~20 -A windshield of the type shown in Figure 5 may be constructed as follows. Such a windshield 330 would include a pair of 0.090 inch (2.3 mm) thick glass plies 332, 334. The glass plies would each have a length of approximately 45 inches (114.3 cm).
5 A sheet 336 of polyvinylbutyral would be differentially stretched and cut to fit between the glass plies. The polyvinylbutyral sheet 336 would have a constant thickness of .034 inches (.086 cm) from the top edge to a distance of 25 inches (63.5 cm) therefrom (top area 342); a taper defined by the interlayer 336 would have a thickness of 10 .034 inches (.086 cm) at a point spaced 25 inches (63.5 cm) from the top edge of the windshield and a thickness .030 inches (.076 cm) from the top of a windshield top edge of 37 inches (94 cm) (mid area 337).
Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention directed to partial wedging of the windshield. The windshield 430 15 shown in Figure 6 has a pair of glass plies 432 and 434 about an interlayer 436. The thickness of the glass plies and interlayer are selected to provide the windshield with a lower area 437 having outer surface 438 and 440 nonparallel to one another and upper area 439 having outer surfaces 438 and 440 of the windshield parallel to one 20 another. In Figure 6, this arrangement may be achieved by using glass plies 432 and 434 of constant thickness and a sheet of interlayer material that has constant thickness at its upper portion and a taper at its lower portion.
A windshield of the type shown in Figure 6 was constructed 25 as follows. The windshield 430 included a pair of 0.090 inch (2.3 mm) thick glass plies 432, 434. The glass plies each had a length of 45 inches (114.3 cm). A sheet 436 of polyvinylbutyral was differentially stretched and cut to fit between the glass plies. The sheet 436 had a constant thickness of .038 inches (.097 cm) from the 30 top edge to a distance of 25 inches (63.5 cm) therefrom (upper area 439) and a taper defined by the interlayer having a thickness of .038 inches (.097 cm) at a point spaced 25 inches (63.5 cm) from the top edge to a thickness .030 inches (.076 cm) at the bottom edge (the lower area 437).
Referring to Figure 1, it has been observed that windshields of the construction discussed above and shown in Figures 5 and 6 mounted in a vehicle at an installation angle Y of approximately 30~
_ with an angle of incident Z between the mid-section 337 of the windshield 330 or the lower area 437 of the windshield 430 and the image source 14 of approximately 65~ significantly reduces the amount of double imaging in a head-up display system as compared to the 5 prior art windshield having a non-wedged configuration while maintaining the optical properties of the prior art windshield in the upper and lower areas 342 and 344 of the windshield 330 and the upper area 439 of the windshield 430.
In the windshield construction of the type shown in Figures 10 5 and 6, the non-tapered section, e.g., areas 342 and 344 of the windshield 330 of Figure 5 and area 448 of the windshield 430 of Figure 6, there was minimal, if any, optical distortion because the outer surfaces of the windshield in those portions were parallel.
As can now be appreciated, the partial wedging of the 15 windshields 330 and 430 can be attained in any convenient manner.
For example, one or more of the glass plies may have varying thicknesses and/or the interlayer may have varying thicknesses in the wedged sections, i.e. area 337 of the windshield 330 and area 437 for the windshield 430. The requirement in the practice of the invention 20 is that when the windshield i8 assembled using the glass plies and interlayer, selected areas of the windshield have the outer edges nonparallel to one another while the other areas have the outer surfaces parallel. As used herein and as can now be appreciated the term "outer surface parallel" does not require the surfaces to be 25 perfectly parallel to one another but have the degree of parallelism that is usually observed in the prior art windshields to which this invention is directed. Further, the invention was discussed with the windshield having the tapered area from side to side; however, as can now be appreciated only the area in front of the observer may have 30 the partial wedge with the remaining area of the windshield having parallel outer surfaces.
Further from the foregoing discussion, it can now be appreciated that the invention may be practiced by tapering selected sections of a sheet of interlayer, by providing a piece of tapered 35 interlayer over a sheet of interlayer having a constant thickness, by providing a glass ply having selected portions tapered by adding a piece of tapered glass to a glass ply having a constant thickness and/or by removing glass, e.g., by grinding and polishing a selected section of the glass.
Still further, the invention may be practised using colored glass of the type known in the art, e.g. such as that taught in U.S.
5 Patent No. 4,792,536, may be used on windshields having environmental coatings, e.g., of the type taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,610,771, may be used on heatable windshields, e.g., of the type taught in U.S.
Patent No. 4,820,902 or may be used with a coating on any surface of the glass plies at least in the area of the windshield having 10 nonparallel outer surfaces to enhance the image, e.g., coatings of the type taught in U.S. Patent No. 3,899,241, The forms of this invention shown and described in this disclosure represent illustrative preferred embodiments and various modifications thereof. It is understood that various changes may be 15 made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claimed subject matter which follows.
B
Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a windshield for a head-up display system and in particular to an automotive windshield functioning as 15 the combiner for the head-up display system and having a wedged configuration for some selected portion of the windshield area, particularly in the viewing area of the head-up display, to eliminate double imaging.
20 2A. Technical Considerations A head-up display system is a visual display arrangement that displays information to a viewer while he simultaneously views the road and objects outside his vehicle around and through the display. Head-up display systems are often incorporated into 25 aircraft cockpits for pilots to monitor flight information. More recently the systems have been used in land vehicles such as cars, trucks and the like. The display is generally positioned so that the viewer does not have to glance downward to the vehicle dashboard and away from the viewing area in front of the vehicle as is required of 30 a vehicle operator viewing vehicle operating information in a vehicle not having a head-up display.
A head-up display system generally includes a display projection system, a collimator, and a combiner. The projection system includes a light source that projects operating information 3~ through the collimator which generally aligns the projected light rays. The collimated light is then reflected off the combiner, which is in the vehicle operator's field of view. In this manner, vehicle ~_ - 2 -information such as, for example, fuel information and vehicle speed is displayed within the operator's field of vision through the windshield and permits the operator to safely maintain eye contact with the road and other objects outside his vehicle while 5 simultaneously viewing the displayed information. The reflected images of the display may be focused at a position anywhere from immediately in front of the vehicle to optical infinity.
Laminated windshields have been used as the combiner in a head-up display system to reflect a primary display image as taught 10 in U.S. Patent No. 2,264,044 to Lee. However, it has been observed that a ~econdary image is reflected off the outer surface of the windshield. This secondary image is superimposed over but offset from the primary image and reduces the overall image clarity.
It would be advantageous to have a windshield for a head-up 15 display system which functions as a combiner and provides a clear display image without producing double images when viewing through the head-up display area, without distorting the view through other portions of the window not associated with the head-up display system, and without incorporating additional components with the 20 windshield.
2B. Patents of Interest U.S. Patent No. 1,871,877 to Buckman teaches a display system having a glass sheet mounted on the wind~hield or dashboard 25 which reflects instrumentation information to the vehicle operator.
U.S. Patent No. 2,264,044 to Lee teaches a motor vehicle having an illuminated speedometer display that is reflected off the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield.
U.S. Patent No. 2,641,152 to M~hfllAkis teaches a vehicle 30 proJection device wherein instrumentation information is reflected off of a reflecting screen on the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield. The reflecting surface has a satin finish and can be metal, glass, or plastic.
U.S. Patent No. 2,750,833 to Gross teaches an optical 35 display system for eliminating double images which occur in reflector type sights such as those used in aircraft gun sighting installations. A collimated light beam is polarized and separated ~_ - 3 -into two ray branches. One of the two ray branches i8 then eliminated.
U.S. Patent No. 3,276,813 to Shaw, Jr. teaches a motor vehicle display system which utilizes a highly reflective coating on 5 the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield to reflect instrumentation information to the vehicle operator.
U.S. Patent No. 3,446,916 to Abel teaches an image combiner utilizing a portion of the aircraft window. The inner ~urface portion of the window is coated with a partially reflective film.
U.S. Patent Nos. 3,554,722, 3,591,261, and 3,647,285 to Harvey et al. teaches a double glazed glass window structure which eliminates objectionable fringe patterns produced in this structure when float glass of non-uniform thickness is utilized. The window structure includes a pair of spaced apart, float glass sheets one or 15 both of which are tapered from a thick edge to an opposing thin edge. When both the glass sheets are tapered, the glass sheets are positioned such that a thick edge of one glass sheet is spaced from a thin edge of the opposing glass sheet.
U.S. Patent No. 3,697,154 to Johnson teaches an optical 20 viewing system in which images formed on the screen of a cathode ray tube (CRT) are reflected from a curved mirror having a general aspheric surface of revolution to a partially reflective combiner having two nonparallel hyperboloid surfaces, the combiner being positioned in the normal line of sight of an observer such that a 25 collimated CRT image is reflected from the near surface of the combiner to the observer's eyes and the combiner being adapted to transmit light incident from the outside so that the CRT display is superimposed without parallax on the real world to provide a head-up display.
U.S. Patent No. 3,870,405 to Hedges teaches a visor for use an optical element in a helmet-mounted sight having inner and outer surfaces being sections of ofocal paraboloids of revolution.
U.S. Patent No. 3,899,241 to Malobicky, Jr. et al. teaches a windshield adapted for use in aircraft and includes a transparent 35 reflective coating on the inboard surface in the center portion of the forward vision area to form a vision image receiving area.
Il 2076420 _ - 4 -Vehicle information is reflected off the reflective coating to the vehicle operator.
U.S. Patent No. 3,940,204 to Withrington and 4,218,111 to Withrington et al. teach an optical display system utilizing 5 holographic lenses.
U.S. Patent No. 4,261,635 to Freeman teaches a head-up display system including a holographic combiner positioned inboard of the vehicle windshield. The hologram i8 disposed substantially orthogonal to and midway along an axis between the observer's eye 10 position and the projection optics so as to deviate light from an image produced by the projection optics to the observer eye with minimal field aberration.
U.S. Patent No. 4,398,799 to Swift teaches a head-up display system which simultaneously records the pilot's view by reflecting 15 the outside scene and the projected display by reflecting the outside scene and superimposed display off a mirror mounted on the pilot's helmet and recording the reflected view with a camera mounted on the pilot's helmet.
U.S. Patent No. 4,613,200 to Hartman teaches a head-up 20 display system which uses two parallel holographic optical elements to reflect instrumentation information to the vehicle operator. One of the elements is made part of or attached to the vehicle windshield.
U.S. Patent No. 4,711,544 to Iino et al. teaches a display system for a vehicle wherein instrumentation information is reflected 25 off the front glass of the vehicle so that the image display can be formed in a desired position, aligned with the line of sight of the driver without obstructing the front sight of the driver.
U.S. Patent No. 4,787,711 and 4,892,386 and European Patent No. 229,076 to Suzuki et al. teach an on-vehicle head-up display 30 device employing a catoptric system for a windshield glass of an automobile to project a display image onto an inner surface of the windshield glass, an optical system for letting a virtual image of the display image of the display means enter the windshield glass is adapted to make an angle formed by light beams of the virtual image 35 entering the windshield glass less than a monocular resolving power and an optical means for correcting parallax of the light beams of the virtual image is provided between the optical system and the ~ - 5 - ~ ~7~ ~2a windshield glass to thus eliminate double imaging and binocular parallax.
Defensive Publication No. T861,037 to Christensen teaches a tapered or wedged vinyl interlayer for use in laminating windshields such that the interlayer is thicker at the top of the windshield than at the bottom of the windshield in order to eliminate double vision caused by the windshield curvature and angle of installation.
The present disclosure provides a windshield for a head-up display system that reduces the degree of double imaging that occurs when a laminated windshield is used as the combiner in the display system. The windshield functions as a combiner for the head-up display system without requiring any additional elements or components to be incorporated onto or into the windshield assembly.
The windshield is constructed such that selected opposing, outer major surfaces of the windshield are non-parallel with the opposing outer major surfaces oriented relative to each other so that an image, projected from a display source and reflected off a first major surface of the windshield, is substantially superimposed over or parallel to the same image from the display source reflected off the opposing outer major surface of the windshield.
In one embodiment, the windshield includes a pair of glass plies secured to each other by a sheet of thermoplastic interlayer material. The windshield has opposed outer major surfaces that are tapered in thickness from one edge to the other. This may be accomplished by having one or both plies and/or the sheet of interlayer material tapered in thickness from one edge to the other.
In another embodiment the windshield has a selected area that has the outer major surfaces of the windshield non-parallel to one another, and the outer major surfaces of the windshield at the remaining area generally parallel to one another. In this manner, the degree of double imaging is reduced in the area where the outer surfaces are non-parallel to one another, and the optical distortion B~
~- - 6 - 2~4~
in the remaining area is improved because the outer surfaces are parallel to one another. This may be accomplished by having one or both of the glass plies and/or the sheet of interlayer material partially tapered in thickness such that when the plies and sheet are joined together, the outer major surfaces of the windshield in the selected area are nonparallel to one another with the rem~'n;ng area of the outer major surfaces of the windshield generally parallel to one another in the area other.
Interlayer containing a wedged or tapered section may be achieved by casting the interlayer to the desired configuration, extruding the desired cross sectional thickness, or differentially stretching the interlayer to the desired shape. When the glass plies and the interlayer having the tapered section are assembled and laminated to form a unitary structure, the opposing major surfaces of the laminate are non-parallel in the area of the tapered section and offset at a predetermined angle in the vicinity of the tapered section. The windshield in use is positioned relative to a display system such that the images generated by light rays from the display source reflected off the non-parallel opposing major surfaces of the windshield or laminate are substantially superimposed over or parallel to each other such that double imaging is reduced if not eliminated, while the r~m~ln;ng sections of the windshield have the outer major surfaces substantially parallel to one another to eliminate or minimize optical distortion of objects viewed through the rem~;n;ng area of the windshield.
The disclosure also contemplates making the windshields by joining glass sheets and a sheet of interlayer material to provide a windshield having the outer surfaces parallel in a first predetermined area and nonparallel in a second predetermined area.
More particularly in accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided, an article comprising a transparent substrate having a first major surface, a second opposite major r,~
- 6a - ~ ~ 7 ~ 4 2 ~
surface, a first predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are substantially parallel to one another, and a second predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are nonparallel to one another.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided, a method of making an automotive transparency providing a pair of glass plies and a sheet of interlayer material each having a predetermined thickness throughout their length and width; and securing said pair of plies together about said sheet of interlayer material to provide a laminate with outer surfaces having a first predetermined area of constant thickness and second predetermined area of varying thickness.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs Figure 1 is a schematic of head-up display system for vehicle.
Figure 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of Figure 1 illustrating a head-up display using a prior art windshield.
Figure 3 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of Figure 1 illustrating a head-up display using a windshield 4 ~ ~
incorporating features embodied in the present invention.
Figure 4 is an éxploded cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.
Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of alternate 5 embodiments of the invention.
Detailed Descri~tion of the Preferred Embodiments The present invention relates to the elimination of double imaging in a head-up display system that uses an automotive 10 windshield as the combiner, but it should be appreciated that the present invention may be used in any type of combiner having a laminate construction where double imaging is to be eliminated.
With reference to Figure 1, head-up display 10 system includes a motor vehicle windshield 12, an image source 14 and a 15 projection assembly 16, preferably mounted immediately beneath the upper surface of the vehicle dashboard 18 and positioned between the image source 14 and windshield 12. Light rays emanate from the image source 14 and are projected onto the windshield 12, which operates as a combiner as will be discussed later, and reflected into the field 20 of vision of the vehicle operator or observer 20. The light rays projected onto the windshield 12 are collimated so as to create a virtual image in front of the car, preferably at about 5 to 50 feet (3 to 15 meters) in front of the windshield 12.
Although not limiting in the present invention, the image 25 source 14 preferably is a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD) that is adequately illuminated to project information carrying light rays through the projection assembly 16 onto the windshield 12 at a location within the vehicle operators direct line of sight while permitting peripheral viewing of the road and objects outside of the 30 vehicle as the operator or observer 20 monitors the display. It is contemplated that alternative viewing locations will also provide an effective head-up display for the vehicle windshield. The displayed image (not shown) may include numerical or graphical symbols including for example, vehicle speed, fuel level, engine RPMs, 35 temperature, and warning symbols.
The following discussion will be directed towards the use of a prior art windshield as the combiner in a head-up display system ~ 2076~20 _ - 8 -which projects an image a finite distance in front of the windshield. In particular, referring to Figure 2, windshield 30 represents a windshield assembly with the opposing inner and outer major surfaces of the windshield being parallel to each other for the 5 full length of the windshield, i.e. from the top edge to the opposite edge and between the side edges. The windshield 30 includes outer glass ply 32 bonded to inner glass ply 34 by an interlayer material 36. Because the thickness of the interlayer 36 is fairly uniform and the opposing major surfaces of each glass ply are substantially 10 parallel to each other, i.e., inner surface 37 of the ply 32 is parallel to its outer surface 38 and inner surface 39 of the ply 34 i8 parallel to its outer surface 40, the outer major surface 38 of the glass ply 32 is parallel to the outer major surface 40 of the glass ply 34 after the glass plies 32 and 34 and interlayer 36 are 15 laminated together to form a unitary structure. Although not limiting in the present invention, for the purposes of illustration, surfaces 38 and 40 are assumed to be planar in the following discussion. However, the surfaces may be non-planar, as will be discussed later.
With continued reference to Figure 2, a light ray A from image source 14 is directed along line 42 and a portion of the light ray A is reflected off surface 40 of the ply 34 along line 44 to eye 46 of the vehicle operator 20. Additional light rays from the source 14 are directed along additional lines. For example, light ray B is 25 directed along line 48 and a portion of the light ray B is reflected off the surface 40 along line 50 toward the vehicle operator 20.
However, the ray B along the line 50 is not directed to the eye 46 as shown in Fig. 2 so it will not be detected by the observer 20.
A portion of the light ray B which is directed along line 48 30 will enter the windshield assembly 30 and be refracted along line 52. The angular difference between the lines 48 and 52 depends on the angle of refraction as the light ray passes through the air and into the glass ply 34. The angle of refraction in turn depends, in part, on the angle at which ray B is incident on the surface 40 and 35 the relative densities of the air and the glass. The ray B passes through the windshield assembly 30 and a portion of the light ray B
i8 reflected off the surface 38 of the ply 32 along line 54. It is 1 2076~20 -g assumed that the refractive index of interlayer 36 is essentially the same as that of the glass plies 32 and 34 so that the light rays are not redirected as they pass through the wlndshield assembly 30 along lines 52 and 54.
A portion of the light ray B leaves the windshield assembly 30 at the surface 40 of the glass ply 34 where the direction of the light is again changed due to the difference in the refraction index between the windshield assembly 30 and the air, as discussed earlier, and directed along line 56 to the operator's eye 46. Because the 10 light rays A and B received by the eye 46 from the image source 14 are along two different lines, i.e. lines 44 and 56, which are convergent toward one another to the eye of the observer 20 rather than parallel, the observer 20 will perceive two offset images where in fact there is only one image source 14. The first image 58, or 15 virtual image, is the image seen by the observer Z0 from the portion of the light ray A directed along line 44. The second image 60 is the image seen by the observer 20 from the portion of the light ray B
directed along line 56.
When viewing both images, the virtual image 58 will appear 20 brighter than the second image 60 because a greater portion of the light from the image source 14 which was initially directed along line 42 will be directed along line 44 as compared to the amount of light initially directed along line 48 and which is finally directed along line 56 to the observer 20. This condition of seeing two 25 offset images is commonly referred to as double imaging, or ghost imaging, and results when the outer surfaces of the windshield assembly, i.e. surfaces 38 and 40 of windshield assembly 30, are parallel to each other. Stated another way, double imaging occurs when the light rays A and B, projected from image source 14 onto 30 parallel surfaces 38 and 40, are directed toward the eye of the observer along non-parallel lines, i.e., lines 44 and 56 which converge toward each other to the eye 46 of the operator 20.
In order to reduce the amount of double imaging in the windshield assembly 30, the present invention modifies the windshield 35 structure by adjusting the spaced relationship of the surfaces 38 and 40 relative to one another such that the portion of the light rays A
and B directed to the eye of the observer are superimposed over or o parallel to one another. Although not limiting in the present invention, referring to Figure 3 which illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, windshield 130 includes outer glass ply 132 bonded to inner glass ply 134 by an interlayer material, e.g., a 5 thermoplastic material 136 along inner major surfaces 137 and 139 of plies 132 and 134, respectively. The interlayer 136 is fabricated in such a way as to gradually taper in thickness from top to bottom of the windshield with the thicker section at the top edge as reviewed in Figure 3. In other alternate embodiments of the invention to be 10 discussed in detail below, the interlayer may be of tapered thickness for a selected portion and of constant thickness for other portions to provide a windshield that has the outer major surfaces of the windshield nonparallel to one another in the area having the section of the interlayer havin~ the tapered thickness and outer major 15 surfaces of the windshield parallel to one another in the areas having the sections of the interlayer having the constant thickness.
As a result of the "wedged" shape section of the interlayer, when the windshield components are assembled and laminated, outer ~major surface 138 of glass ply 132 and outer major surface 140 of 20 glass ply 134 will be non-parallel. It has been found that by controlling the amount by which the glass plies 132 and 134 of the windshield 130 are offset from each other, the double imaging encountered when using a windshield as shown in Figure 2 as a combiner can be reduced in a manner to be discussed below. The 25 actual wedge angle X required to reduce the double imaging depends, in part, upon the thickness of the windshield, the windshield materials, and the relative positions and orientations of the image source 14, the windshield 130 and the vehicle operator 20. Although not limiting in the present invention, the interlayer 136 can be cast 30 in place to provide the desired wedge angle X. As an alternative, the interlayer 136 can be differentially stretched in any convenient manner known in the art, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
4,201,351 to Tolliver and U.S. Patent No. 4,554,713 to Chabel, ~ith continued reference to Figure 3, the discussion will 35 now be directed to the elimination or minimization of double images or ghost images using a windshield that has wedge or taper, i.e., B
nonparallel outer surfaces. Light ray Al from the image source 14 is directed along line 142 and a portion of the light ray Al is reflected off the surface 140 along line 144 to the eye 46. Another portion of the light ray Bl directed along line 148 is reflected from 5 the surface 140 along line 150 such that it i8 not seen by the observer 20 as was discussed for the portion of the light ray B
reflected from the surface 40 along line 50 of the prior art arrangement shown in Fig. 2. The remaining portions of the ray Bl are refracted through the glass plies 132 and 134 and the interlayer 10 136 along line 152 and refracted as it leaves the assembly 130 to the observer's eye 46 along line 144 in a similar manner as that discussed for the ray B shown in Figure 2. However, unlike the windshield assembly 30 in Figure 2 wherein the line 56 from the ray B
is along a different orientation than line 44 from ray A, in the 15 present invention as shown in Figure 3, the wedge angle X is such that the refracted light from light ray Bl exits the assembly 130 along the line 144, i.e., parallel or superimposed over the light from ray Al reflected off the surface 140 of the glass ply 134 also moving along the line 144. As a result, the image viewed by the 20 observer 20 resulting from light rays Al and Bl are superimposed over or parallel to each other 80 that there is viewed only a single image 158.
It should be appreciated that in a windshield assembly, the surfaces 138 and 140 of the glass plies 132 and 134, respectively, 25 are often not planar but rather have a curved configuration.
However, the amount of relative curvature in the windshield assembly 130 within the small area used as the combiner is relatively small so that the area within the combiner portion of the windshield 130 is nearly planar. Furthermore, if required due to excessive curvature 30 of the windshield within the combiner area, the image from the image source 18 can be distorted, for example by incorporating additional lens arrangements (not shown) into the projection assembly 16 (shown only in Figure 1) to account for the curvature of the windshield surfaces.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the windshield 130 includes 0.090 inch (2.3 mm) thick glass plies and two polyvinylbutryl interlayer plies. Each interlayer ply is originally 4 ~. ~
0.020 inches (0.05 mm) thick and is differentially stretched so that each interlayer ply has a taper of approximately 0.003 inches (0.076 mm) over a 36 inch (91 cm) interlayer width for a combined thickness differential of approximately 0.006 inches (0.152 mm) from the top to 5 the bottom edge (as viewed in Figure 3) when incorporated into the windshield 130. Referrin~ to Figure 1, it has been observed that a windshield of this construction, mounted in a vehicle at an installation angle Y of approximately 30~ from the horizontal with an angle of incidence Z between the windshield 12 and image source 14 of 10 approximately 65~ significantly reduces the amount of double imaging in a head-up display system as compared to a conventional windshield having a non-wedged configuration.
Although the windshield configuration 130 as shown in Figure 3 includes two glass sheets each having 15 generally parallel opposing major surfaces and a tapered interlayer ply, based on the teachings of this disclosure, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that other windshield configurations can be used to provide a wedged windshield configuration similar to that shown in Figure 3. In particular, referring to Figure 4, one or both of the 20 glass plies 232 and 234 may be provided with a taper such that when the assembly 230 is laminated to form a unitary structure using a non-stretched interlayer 236, opposing surfaces 234 and 236 of the windshield 230 are non-parallel and are oriented relative to each other so as to eliminate the double imaging. It is further 25 contemplated that one or more tapered interlayer may be used in combination with one or more tapered glass plies so that the final laminated assembly provides a required windshield construction having the configuration required to reduce double imaging. In other words, the invention is not directed to providing glass plies and a sheet of 30 interlayer that does or doesn't have a taper as long as a~ter the plies are secured about the interlayer the outer surfaces of the windshield are nonparallel so that the portions of the light rays and Bl directed toward the eye of the observer are parallel or superimposed over one another along the line 144 as shown in Figure 3.
It has been contemplated that the use of a partial wedge may be preferred to solve the problem of double imaging by use of a wedge area in the head-up display area of the windshield while at the same ~3 ; 2076420 -time solving the ~n; 'zing optical distortions associated with viewing objects through wedged glass. More particularly, it has been noted that the use of non-tapering or non-wedged areas of laminated glass, i.e., outer surfaces of the laminated windshield substantially 5 parallel to one another for the upper portion of a windshield as mounted with the tapering or wedged areas at or near the bottom of the windshield as mounted, improves the optics of the windshield.
More particularly, a vehicle operator viewing an object such as a traffic light at a 45~ angle through an upper area of the windshield 10 encounters less double vision of objects viewed through a non-tapered or non-wedged windshield than a tapered or wedged windshield.
However, a vehicle operator viewing an object such as a head-up display at a 90~ angle through the bottom portion of the windshield will observe a double image for the reason discussed above. Thus, a 15 windshield having a partial wedge area such as the windshield types shown in Figures 5 and 6 would be advantageous over a windshield of the type shown in Figure 3 that has a taper or wedge from the top edge of the windshield to the opposite or bottom edge.
In the following discussions regarding Figures 5 and 6, the 20 left hand side of windshields 330 and 430 as viewed in Figures 5 and 6, respectively, is the top end of the windshield as mounted in a vehicle and the right side as viewed in Figures 5 and 6 is the opposite or bottom end of the windshield as mounted. With reference to Figure 5, the windshield 330 has glass plies 332 and 334 secured 25 to each other about interlayer 336. The windshield 330 has a partial wedge by providing outer surface 338 of the glass ply 332 nonparallel to the outer surface 340 of glass ply 334 in the mid-area 337 and the outer surfaces 338 and 340 of the glass plies 332 and 334, respectively, in the upper area 342 and lower area 344 parallel to 30 one another. This may be accomplished by providing the glass plies 332 and 334 with a constant thickness throughout their length, i.e.
from the top edge to the bottom edge of the windshield and width, i.e. from one side to the other side (only one side shown in Figure 5 and 6), and the portions of interlayer 336 in the top and bottom 35 areas 342 and 344, respectively, of the windshield 330 with constant thickness and the portion of the interlayer in the mid-area 337 with a tapered thickness.
2076~20 -A windshield of the type shown in Figure 5 may be constructed as follows. Such a windshield 330 would include a pair of 0.090 inch (2.3 mm) thick glass plies 332, 334. The glass plies would each have a length of approximately 45 inches (114.3 cm).
5 A sheet 336 of polyvinylbutyral would be differentially stretched and cut to fit between the glass plies. The polyvinylbutyral sheet 336 would have a constant thickness of .034 inches (.086 cm) from the top edge to a distance of 25 inches (63.5 cm) therefrom (top area 342); a taper defined by the interlayer 336 would have a thickness of 10 .034 inches (.086 cm) at a point spaced 25 inches (63.5 cm) from the top edge of the windshield and a thickness .030 inches (.076 cm) from the top of a windshield top edge of 37 inches (94 cm) (mid area 337).
Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention directed to partial wedging of the windshield. The windshield 430 15 shown in Figure 6 has a pair of glass plies 432 and 434 about an interlayer 436. The thickness of the glass plies and interlayer are selected to provide the windshield with a lower area 437 having outer surface 438 and 440 nonparallel to one another and upper area 439 having outer surfaces 438 and 440 of the windshield parallel to one 20 another. In Figure 6, this arrangement may be achieved by using glass plies 432 and 434 of constant thickness and a sheet of interlayer material that has constant thickness at its upper portion and a taper at its lower portion.
A windshield of the type shown in Figure 6 was constructed 25 as follows. The windshield 430 included a pair of 0.090 inch (2.3 mm) thick glass plies 432, 434. The glass plies each had a length of 45 inches (114.3 cm). A sheet 436 of polyvinylbutyral was differentially stretched and cut to fit between the glass plies. The sheet 436 had a constant thickness of .038 inches (.097 cm) from the 30 top edge to a distance of 25 inches (63.5 cm) therefrom (upper area 439) and a taper defined by the interlayer having a thickness of .038 inches (.097 cm) at a point spaced 25 inches (63.5 cm) from the top edge to a thickness .030 inches (.076 cm) at the bottom edge (the lower area 437).
Referring to Figure 1, it has been observed that windshields of the construction discussed above and shown in Figures 5 and 6 mounted in a vehicle at an installation angle Y of approximately 30~
_ with an angle of incident Z between the mid-section 337 of the windshield 330 or the lower area 437 of the windshield 430 and the image source 14 of approximately 65~ significantly reduces the amount of double imaging in a head-up display system as compared to the 5 prior art windshield having a non-wedged configuration while maintaining the optical properties of the prior art windshield in the upper and lower areas 342 and 344 of the windshield 330 and the upper area 439 of the windshield 430.
In the windshield construction of the type shown in Figures 10 5 and 6, the non-tapered section, e.g., areas 342 and 344 of the windshield 330 of Figure 5 and area 448 of the windshield 430 of Figure 6, there was minimal, if any, optical distortion because the outer surfaces of the windshield in those portions were parallel.
As can now be appreciated, the partial wedging of the 15 windshields 330 and 430 can be attained in any convenient manner.
For example, one or more of the glass plies may have varying thicknesses and/or the interlayer may have varying thicknesses in the wedged sections, i.e. area 337 of the windshield 330 and area 437 for the windshield 430. The requirement in the practice of the invention 20 is that when the windshield i8 assembled using the glass plies and interlayer, selected areas of the windshield have the outer edges nonparallel to one another while the other areas have the outer surfaces parallel. As used herein and as can now be appreciated the term "outer surface parallel" does not require the surfaces to be 25 perfectly parallel to one another but have the degree of parallelism that is usually observed in the prior art windshields to which this invention is directed. Further, the invention was discussed with the windshield having the tapered area from side to side; however, as can now be appreciated only the area in front of the observer may have 30 the partial wedge with the remaining area of the windshield having parallel outer surfaces.
Further from the foregoing discussion, it can now be appreciated that the invention may be practiced by tapering selected sections of a sheet of interlayer, by providing a piece of tapered 35 interlayer over a sheet of interlayer having a constant thickness, by providing a glass ply having selected portions tapered by adding a piece of tapered glass to a glass ply having a constant thickness and/or by removing glass, e.g., by grinding and polishing a selected section of the glass.
Still further, the invention may be practised using colored glass of the type known in the art, e.g. such as that taught in U.S.
5 Patent No. 4,792,536, may be used on windshields having environmental coatings, e.g., of the type taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,610,771, may be used on heatable windshields, e.g., of the type taught in U.S.
Patent No. 4,820,902 or may be used with a coating on any surface of the glass plies at least in the area of the windshield having 10 nonparallel outer surfaces to enhance the image, e.g., coatings of the type taught in U.S. Patent No. 3,899,241, The forms of this invention shown and described in this disclosure represent illustrative preferred embodiments and various modifications thereof. It is understood that various changes may be 15 made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claimed subject matter which follows.
B
Claims (27)
1. An article comprising:
a transparent substrate having a first major surface, a second opposite major surface, a first predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are substantially parallel to one another, and a second predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are nonparallel to one another.
a transparent substrate having a first major surface, a second opposite major surface, a first predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are substantially parallel to one another, and a second predetermined area where opposed major surfaces are nonparallel to one another.
2. The article of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined area includes a first portion and a second portion and said second predetermined area is between said first and second portions of said first predetermined area.
3. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is defined as an automotive transparency and said transparent substrate includes a pair of transparent plies joined together to form a laminate.
4. The article of claim 2 wherein the article is defined as an automotive transparency and said transparent substrate includes a pair of transparent plies joined together to form a laminate.
5. The automotive transparency of claim 3 wherein the pair of plies include a first glass ply and a second glass ply secured together by an interlayer material to form the laminate.
6. The automotive transparency of claim 5 wherein each ply of the pair of plies has a constant thickness and the interlayer in the first predetermined area has a constant thickness and in the second predetermined area has a varying thickness.
7. The automotive transparency of claim 5 wherein at least one of the plies has a constant thickness in the first predetermined area and a varying thickness in the second predetermined area.
8. The automotive transparency of claim 7 wherein the second predetermined area is less than totally bound by the first predetermined area.
9. The automotive transparency of claim 5 wherein the plies are glass sheets and the interlayer is a sheet of plastic material having predetermined thickness such that when the glass sheets and the interlayer are joined together, the resultant automotive transparency has the first and second predetermined areas.
10. The automotive transparency of claim 5 wherein one of the glass plies in the second predetermined area has glass removed to provide the second predetermined area with a thickness less than the thickness of said ply in the first predetermined area.
11. The automotive transparency of claim 5 wherein one of the glass plies in the second predetermined area has a transparent piece added to provide the second predetermined area with a thickness greater than the first predetermined area.
12. The automotive transparency of claim 3 used in combination in a heads-up display system, comprising:
means to project a desired display having first and second light rays; and means for mounting said automotive transparency and said means to project relative to one another to direct the first and second light rays toward the second predetermined area.
means to project a desired display having first and second light rays; and means for mounting said automotive transparency and said means to project relative to one another to direct the first and second light rays toward the second predetermined area.
13. The automotive transparency of claim 12 wherein said plies are made of colored glass.
14. The automotive transparency of claim 12 wherein said plies are glass sheets having at least one of the surfaces of one of the sheets coated.
15. The automotive transparency of claim 4 wherein the pair of plies includes a first glass ply and second glass ply secured together by an interlayer material to form the laminate.
16. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein each ply of the pair of plies has a constant thickness and the interlayer in the first predetermined area has a constant thickness and in the second predetermined area has a varying thickness.
17. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein the second predetermined area is completely surrounded by the first predetermined areas.
18. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein at least one of the plies has a constant thickness in the first predetermined area and a varying thickness in the second predetermined area.
19. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein the plies are glass sheets and the interlayer is a sheet of plastic material having predetermined thickness such that when the glass sheets and the interlayer are joined together, the resultant automotive transparency has the first and second portion of the first predetermined area and the second predetermined area.
20. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein the thickness of the first and second portions of said first predetermined areas are different.
21. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein one of the glass plies in the second predetermined area has glass removed to provide the second predetermined area with a thickness equal to or less than the thickness of said ply in the first portion of the first predetermined area and a thickness equal to or more than the thickness of said ply in second portion of the first predetermined area.
22. The automotive transparency of claim 15 wherein one of the glass plies in the second predetermined area has a transparent piece added to provide the second predetermined area with a thickness equal to or greater than the first predetermined area.
23. The automotive transparency of claim 4 used in combination in a head-up display system comprising:
means to project a desired display having a first and second light rays; and means for mounting said automotive transparency and said means to project relative to one another to direct the first and second light rays toward the second predetermined area.
means to project a desired display having a first and second light rays; and means for mounting said automotive transparency and said means to project relative to one another to direct the first and second light rays toward the second predetermined area.
24. The automotive transparency of claim 23 wherein said plies are made of colored glass.
25. The automotive transparency of claim 23 wherein said plies are glass sheets having at least one of the surfaces coated.
26. A method of making an automobile transparency comprising the steps of:
providing a pair of glass plies and a sheet of interlayer material each having a predetermined thickness throughout their length and width; and securing said pair of plies together about said sheet of interlayer material to provide a laminate with outer surfaces having a first predetermined area of constant thickness and second predetermined area of varying thickness.
providing a pair of glass plies and a sheet of interlayer material each having a predetermined thickness throughout their length and width; and securing said pair of plies together about said sheet of interlayer material to provide a laminate with outer surfaces having a first predetermined area of constant thickness and second predetermined area of varying thickness.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the first predetermined area has a first portion and second portion with the second predetermined area between the first and second portion the first predetermined area.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US74776591A | 1991-08-20 | 1991-08-20 | |
| US747,765 | 1991-08-20 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2076420A1 CA2076420A1 (en) | 1993-02-21 |
| CA2076420C true CA2076420C (en) | 1999-07-13 |
Family
ID=25006538
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002076420A Expired - Fee Related CA2076420C (en) | 1991-08-20 | 1992-08-19 | Windshield for head-up display system |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP2562263B2 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR0135743B1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2076420C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE4227582C2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2680584B1 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1256343B (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9204827A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN107531021A (en) * | 2016-03-17 | 2018-01-02 | 法国圣戈班玻璃厂 | The composite plate with conductive coating for head-up display |
| EP2217438B1 (en) | 2007-12-07 | 2018-05-02 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Curved vehicle windshield made from laminated glass |
| US11535008B2 (en) | 2017-10-20 | 2022-12-27 | AGC Inc. | Laminated glass |
Families Citing this family (51)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE69218007T2 (en) * | 1992-06-25 | 1997-08-28 | Du Pont | INTERMEDIATE LAYER FOR WINDSHIELDS WITH HEAD-UP DISPLAY AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE LAYERS |
| FR2717795B1 (en) * | 1994-03-22 | 1996-05-24 | Saint Gobain Vitrage | Vehicle glazing and plastic sheet used in this glazing. |
| DE19540108C2 (en) * | 1995-10-27 | 1998-08-06 | Ldt Gmbh & Co | Device for displaying a first image in a second image visible through a transparent pane |
| JPH1164779A (en) * | 1997-08-08 | 1999-03-05 | Shimadzu Corp | Headup display for automobile |
| WO1999063389A1 (en) | 1998-06-03 | 1999-12-09 | Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. | Head-up display device and laminated glass for head-up display device |
| US7521110B2 (en) * | 2001-06-15 | 2009-04-21 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Shaped interlayer for heads-up display windshields and process for preparing same |
| GB2386860B (en) | 2002-03-05 | 2005-08-24 | Yazaki Corp | Combiner and on-vehicle display unit including the same |
| JP2003156708A (en) * | 2002-07-04 | 2003-05-30 | E I Du Pont De Nemours & Co | Windshield for vehicle for head up display device |
| JP5080763B2 (en) | 2006-08-04 | 2012-11-21 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | Head-up display cover and vehicle display unit |
| DE102007021103A1 (en) * | 2007-05-03 | 2008-11-06 | Kuraray Europe Gmbh | Production of films for composite glazing by injection molding or injection compression molding |
| DE102008008758A1 (en) * | 2008-02-12 | 2009-08-27 | Saint-Gobain Sekurit Deutschland Gmbh & Co. Kg | Curved vehicle windshield made of laminated glass comprises outer and inner surfaces that form continuously changing wedge angles, which depend on angle of incidence of light beams and radius of curvature of the windshield |
| GB0817654D0 (en) | 2008-09-26 | 2008-11-05 | Pilkington Automotive Deutschland Gmbh | Laminated glazing |
| FR2945985B1 (en) * | 2009-05-27 | 2011-05-20 | Saint Gobain | GLAZING WITH LOW LEVEL OF DOUBLE IMAGE. |
| BR112012016402B1 (en) * | 2009-12-31 | 2020-02-04 | Saint Gobain | laminated pane, transport vehicle, construction or any structure incorporating such a laminated pane, process of making such a laminated pane and application of such a laminated pane |
| JP5802002B2 (en) | 2010-09-13 | 2015-10-28 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | Head-up display |
| FR2969318B1 (en) * | 2010-12-21 | 2013-08-09 | Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa | HEADLESS DISPLAY DEVICE WITH TRANSPARENT BLADE WITH NON-PARALLEL FACES, FOR A VEHICLE |
| JP5831434B2 (en) | 2012-12-07 | 2015-12-09 | 株式会社デンソー | Head-up display device |
| CN105074538B (en) * | 2013-01-21 | 2018-09-25 | 约翰逊控股公司 | Combiner element and head-up display for head-up display |
| EP2883693B1 (en) * | 2013-12-12 | 2018-12-05 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Method for the preparation of a thermoplastic combination film for a laminated glass pane |
| JP6444411B2 (en) | 2013-12-12 | 2018-12-26 | サン−ゴバン グラス フランスＳａｉｎｔ−Ｇｏｂａｉｎ Ｇｌａｓｓ Ｆｒａｎｃｅ | Thermoplastic film for laminated glass panels comprising wedge-shaped inserts that are non-linearly continuous for each section in the vertical and horizontal directions |
| CA2932471C (en) * | 2013-12-12 | 2020-03-10 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Thermoplastic film for a laminated glass pane having a nonlinear continuous wedge insert in the vertical direction in some sections |
| JP6179463B2 (en) * | 2014-05-28 | 2017-08-16 | 株式会社デンソー | Projection member and head-up display device |
| JP6582642B2 (en) | 2014-08-11 | 2019-10-02 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Vehicular imaging device, vehicular imaging display system, and vehicle |
| JP6582644B2 (en) | 2014-08-11 | 2019-10-02 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Imaging device, imaging display device, and vehicle |
| BR112017011329B1 (en) | 2014-12-08 | 2021-11-30 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | LAMINATED GLASS THAT HAS REDUCED THICKNESS FOR A PROJECTION DISPLAY DEVICE (HUD) |
| CN107207338A (en) * | 2015-01-26 | 2017-09-26 | 旭硝子株式会社 | Laminated glass |
| JP2016224080A (en) * | 2015-05-26 | 2016-12-28 | 株式会社オキサイド | Optical combiner, projection virtual image display, design program, and design method |
| EA034780B1 (en) | 2015-06-11 | 2020-03-19 | Сэн-Гобэн Гласс Франс | Projection assembly for an augmented reality head-up display (hud) |
| US10656414B2 (en) | 2015-06-11 | 2020-05-19 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Projection arrangement for a head-up display (HUD) |
| JP6561323B2 (en) * | 2015-08-31 | 2019-08-21 | パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 | Head-up display |
| EP3733624A1 (en) * | 2015-09-28 | 2020-11-04 | Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. | Interlayer for laminated glass and laminated glass |
| JPWO2017090562A1 (en) * | 2015-11-24 | 2018-09-13 | Ａｇｃ株式会社 | Laminated glass |
| WO2017126468A1 (en) * | 2016-01-18 | 2017-07-27 | 積水化学工業株式会社 | Interlayer film for laminated glass, roll, and laminated glass |
| JP6714835B2 (en) | 2016-04-27 | 2020-07-01 | Ａｇｃ株式会社 | Vehicle window plate |
| BR112018009806B1 (en) * | 2016-05-17 | 2022-12-13 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | HEAD-UP DISPLAY SYSTEM, METHOD AND USE OF SUCH SYSTEM AND ENGINE VEHICLE |
| MA45012B1 (en) | 2016-05-17 | 2020-10-28 | Saint Gobain | Transparent glass |
| FR3051922B1 (en) * | 2016-05-26 | 2018-06-29 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | WINDSCREEN OF VEHICLE FOR HIGH HEAD DISPLAY, VEHICLE INCORPORATING AND MANUFACTURING. |
| EP3251837A1 (en) * | 2016-05-30 | 2017-12-06 | AGC Glass Europe | Method for producing hud compatible windshields and a windshield obtained by the method |
| EP3251836A1 (en) * | 2016-05-30 | 2017-12-06 | AGC Glass Europe | Method for producing hud compatible windshields and universal wedge layer for a windshield |
| WO2018101428A1 (en) * | 2016-12-02 | 2018-06-07 | 旭硝子株式会社 | Glass plate, laminated glass, and windshield |
| WO2018121685A1 (en) * | 2016-12-29 | 2018-07-05 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Pvb film for head up display (hud), forming mold and forming method thereof |
| JP7059780B2 (en) * | 2017-06-02 | 2022-04-26 | Ａｇｃ株式会社 | Laminated glass |
| JP6593393B2 (en) * | 2017-07-11 | 2019-10-23 | 株式会社Ｊｖｃケンウッド | Virtual image display device |
| EP3653589A4 (en) * | 2017-07-12 | 2021-04-21 | Central Glass Company, Limited | Laminated glass for vehicle front windows |
| CN111094208A (en) | 2017-09-21 | 2020-05-01 | 中央硝子株式会社 | Laminated glass for front window of vehicle |
| JP7028102B2 (en) * | 2017-10-05 | 2022-03-02 | Ａｇｃ株式会社 | Laminated glass |
| WO2019112018A1 (en) * | 2017-12-07 | 2019-06-13 | Ａｇｃ株式会社 | Vehicle window glass |
| JP7100975B2 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2022-07-14 | 積水化学工業株式会社 | Laminated glass |
| JP6945443B2 (en) * | 2017-12-28 | 2021-10-06 | 日本板硝子株式会社 | Glass plate module |
| KR102093245B1 (en) * | 2018-12-26 | 2020-03-25 | 경북대학교 산학협력단 | Apparatus of table-top holographic display using a pair of hyperbolic mirrors |
| JP2020016897A (en) * | 2019-09-26 | 2020-01-30 | 株式会社Ｊｖｃケンウッド | Virtual image display device |
Family Cites Families (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH547720A (en) * | 1972-02-02 | 1974-04-11 | Balzers Patent Beteilig Ag | WINDSHIELD SUITABLE FOR OBSERVING ACTIVITIES INSIDE A VEHICLE. |
| US4806312A (en) * | 1985-08-28 | 1989-02-21 | Miles Inc. | Multizone analytical element having detectable signal concentrating zone |
| DE3532120A1 (en) * | 1985-09-10 | 1987-03-19 | Ver Glaswerke Gmbh | WINDSHIELD WITH A REFLECTIVE DEVICE FOR MIRRORING OPTICAL SIGNALS INTO THE FIELD OF THE DRIVER |
| JPS6486110A (en) * | 1987-09-29 | 1989-03-30 | Central Glass Co Ltd | Head up display for vehicle |
| ES2056974T3 (en) * | 1988-02-16 | 1994-10-16 | Muth K W Co Inc | DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING MULTIPLE OBJECTS. |
| JPH02279437A (en) * | 1989-03-29 | 1990-11-15 | Nissan Motor Co Ltd | Display for vehicle |
| US5013134A (en) * | 1989-09-28 | 1991-05-07 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Ghost-free automotive head-up display employing a wedged windshield |
| FR2652936B1 (en) * | 1989-10-06 | 1993-11-26 | Renault Regie Nale Usines | VISUALIZATION DEVICE. |
| MX171971B (en) * | 1989-10-16 | 1993-11-24 | Libbey Owens Ford Co | DISPLAY PANEL FOR A VEHICLE WINDSHIELD |
-
1992
- 1992-08-19 CA CA002076420A patent/CA2076420C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-08-19 IT ITMI922004A patent/IT1256343B/en active IP Right Grant
- 1992-08-20 DE DE4227582A patent/DE4227582C2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-08-20 KR KR1019920014995A patent/KR0135743B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1992-08-20 FR FR9210160A patent/FR2680584B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-08-20 JP JP4264042A patent/JP2562263B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-08-20 MX MX9204827A patent/MX9204827A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2217438B1 (en) | 2007-12-07 | 2018-05-02 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Curved vehicle windshield made from laminated glass |
| CN107531021A (en) * | 2016-03-17 | 2018-01-02 | 法国圣戈班玻璃厂 | The composite plate with conductive coating for head-up display |
| US10828872B2 (en) | 2016-03-17 | 2020-11-10 | Saint-Gobain Glass France | Composite pane having electrically conductive coating for a head-up display |
| CN107531021B (en) * | 2016-03-17 | 2021-03-16 | 法国圣戈班玻璃厂 | Composite plate with conductive coating for head-up display |
| US11535008B2 (en) | 2017-10-20 | 2022-12-27 | AGC Inc. | Laminated glass |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| KR930004141A (en) | 1993-03-22 |
| DE4227582A1 (en) | 1993-02-25 |
| JP2562263B2 (en) | 1996-12-11 |
| ITMI922004A0 (en) | 1992-08-19 |
| CA2076420A1 (en) | 1993-02-21 |
| FR2680584B1 (en) | 1997-04-04 |
| DE4227582C2 (en) | 1994-08-11 |
| KR0135743B1 (en) | 1998-04-23 |
| FR2680584A1 (en) | 1993-02-26 |
| ITMI922004A1 (en) | 1994-02-19 |
| MX9204827A (en) | 1993-02-01 |
| JPH07195959A (en) | 1995-08-01 |
| IT1256343B (en) | 1995-12-01 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA2076420C (en) | Windshield for head-up display system | |
| US6636370B2 (en) | Windshield for head-up display system | |
| US5013134A (en) | Ghost-free automotive head-up display employing a wedged windshield | |
| CA1308499C (en) | Windshield display system for an automobile | |
| EP0391231B1 (en) | Automotive head-up display | |
| US6534152B2 (en) | Windshield for head-up display system | |
| US5005009A (en) | Method and apparatus for multiple object viewing | |
| EP0359015B1 (en) | Automotive windshield for a head-up display system | |
| US6359737B1 (en) | Combined head-up display | |
| US20090303604A1 (en) | Windshield for use with head-up display and/or method of making the same | |
| KR20020021091A (en) | Head-Up Display | |
| WO2005010569A2 (en) | Visual display system for displaying virtual images onto a field of vision | |
| WO1991006031A1 (en) | Display panel for a vehicle windshield | |
| EP0393098A1 (en) | Automobile head-up display system. | |
| US5313292A (en) | Windshield display system for an automobile | |
| JPH07175007A (en) | Head-up display device | |
| US11054640B2 (en) | Displaying system and moving object | |
| EP0329110B1 (en) | Multiple object viewing system | |
| US5138469A (en) | Preparation of photosensitive material to withstand a lamination process | |
| EP0477149B1 (en) | Head-up display device for the display of data aboard automobiles | |
| GB2400187A (en) | Vehicle head up display with focusing prism and reflector | |
| CA2031264A1 (en) | Windshield for head-up display system | |
| CN218446222U (en) | Head-up display optical system for commercial vehicle | |
| FR2670438A1 (en) | Windscreen for a collimating driving system | |
| IT9022406A1 (en) | WINDSHIELD FOR AN ERECT HEAD VISION SYSTEM |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |