JP2006082593A - Head-up display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a so-called pop-up type head-up display capable of preventing the solar light from being reflected by a back side of a combiner and being incident in a driver's eyes. <P>SOLUTION: A combiner side gear-shaped second holding angle adjustment unit 22b is provided on a supporting part of a combiner 3. When the combiner 3 is collapsed, the holding angle of the combiner 3 is adjustable thereby. A pop-up type head-up display comprises a motor forming a turning power source of the combiner 3, a motor driving circuit to control the motor and an ECU. The signals including various kinds of information from a geomagnetic sensor, an inclinometer, and a GPS reception antenna are input to the ECU. When the combiner 3 is collapsed, the ECU estimates the position of the sun, and automatically adjusts the holding angle of the combiner 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a head-up display.

  As a conventional head-up display (hereinafter referred to as HUD), there is a so-called pop-up type. An example of a pop-up type HUD is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the same components as those in the HUD in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  The HUD shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 includes a case 1, a display device 2 housed in the case 1, a combiner 3 disposed on the upper surface 1 a of the case 1, and a folded member housed in the case 1. And a mirror 4. The case 1 is disposed on the upper surface of the dashboard 10, and the combiner 3 is located closer to the driver than the windshield of the vehicle. The combiner 3 is comprised by the transparent half mirror, for example.

  When this HUD is used, as shown in FIG. 7, the light projected from the display device 2 is reflected by the folding mirror 4 and is incident on the combiner 3. Thereby, the driver | operator can visually recognize the virtual image (display image) 6 displayed on the combiner 3 with the scenery ahead of a vehicle.

  Furthermore, this HUD has a rotating mechanism unit 5 that rotates the combiner 3 so that the virtual image 6 is displayed on the combiner 3 or tilted in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, when the HUD is not used, the combiner 3 can be brought down from the viewpoint of preventing the combiner 3 from obstructing the driver's field of view (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

Usually, when the HUD is not used, the combiner 3 is held at an angle in contact with the upper surface of the case 1.
JP-A-8-11580

  However, in the HUD having the above-described structure, as described below, when the combiner 3 is brought down, there is a problem that sunlight enters the eyes of the driver.

  FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the HUD and the lights of the suns 11 and 12 when not in use. As shown in FIG. 9, for example, when the sun 11 is located on the front side of the vehicle, the sunlight 11a may be reflected by the back surface 3a of the combiner 3, and the reflected light 11b may enter the driver's eyes. . Further, when the sun 12 is located on the upper side of the vehicle, the sunlight 12a is reflected on the back surface 3a of the combiner 3, and the reflected light 12b from the combiner 3 is reflected on the windshield 13, and the reflected light. 12c may enter the eyes of the driver. For this reason, the driver may be dazzled when the HUD is not used.

  As a method for preventing the driver from dazzling, a method of coating the back surface of the combiner 3 with a non-reflective film (non-reflective coating) that suppresses reflection of light is conceivable. However, even with such a method, reflection of light cannot be completely suppressed, and reflection of about 0.5% usually occurs. If it is a moon, star, or night street lamp, the above problem can be solved from the brightness, but the above problem cannot be solved because sunlight is extremely bright.

  As another method, a method is conceivable in which the combiner 3 is constituted by a total reflection mirror (full mirror) instead of a half mirror, and a reflection countermeasure process such as a dashboard is performed on the back surface. According to this method, the above-described problem can be solved. However, since the combiner 3 is not transparent, the advantage that the HUD normally has that the driver visually recognizes the display image superimposed on the scenery in front of the vehicle is not preferable.

  As another method, the HUD may be configured to cover the combiner 3 with a plate (cover) that does not reflect light only when not in use. However, this method is not preferable because the mechanism of the HUD becomes complicated and the production cost of the HUD becomes high.

  In view of the above points, the present invention is a so-called pop-up type HUD that can prevent sunlight from being reflected on the back surface of the combiner and entering the eyes of the driver by a method different from the method described above. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the holding angle of the combiner (3) in a tilted state can be adjusted.

  Thereby, when the combiner is in a fallen state, it is possible to prevent sunlight from being reflected on the back surface of the combiner and entering the eyes of the driver by adjusting the angle of the combiner.

  Note that the rotation of the combiner can be realized not only manually but also electrically by using a motor. Further, the adjustment of the holding angle in a state where the combiner is tilted can be performed manually or automatically.

  When the holding angle is automatically adjusted, specifically, as shown in claim 2, the HUD has the following configuration. That is, it has a motor (25) as a rotation means and a control means (31) for controlling the motor (25), and the control means (31) detects the relative position of the sun with respect to the vehicle. The detection result is input from the detection means (37, 38, 39). And in the state where the combiner (3) has fallen, it is set as the structure which adjusts the holding angle of a combiner (3) by a control means (31) controlling a motor (25) according to a detection result. .

  In addition, as a solar position detection means, the means to detect the position of the sun directly can be used, or the means to detect the position of the sun can be used indirectly as shown in claim 3.

  Specifically, as shown in claim 3, as the sun position detecting means, the vehicle traveling direction detecting means (37), the vehicle inclination amount detecting means (38), and the vehicle absolute position detecting means (39). And date / time information acquisition means (39) can be used. By these, the control means can estimate the position of the sun.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means is an example which shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of the HUD in the first embodiment of the present invention. The HUD of the present embodiment can adjust the holding angle of the combiner 3 when the combiner 3 is tilted with respect to the so-called pop-up type HUD (see FIGS. 7 and 8) described in the background section above. It is. In FIG. 1, the same components as those in the HUD in FIGS. 7 and 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, the left side in FIG. 1 is the front side of the vehicle, and the right side in the figure is the driver side.

  Specifically, the HUD includes a case 1, a display device 2, a combiner 3, a folding mirror 4, and a rotation mechanism unit 5.

  The case 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is made of, for example, metal. The case 1 can also be made of resin. The case 1 is fixed to the upper surface of the dashboard via a dashboard fixing member 1b disposed on the bottom surface of the case 1. The dashboard fixing member 1b has a shaft portion 1c, so that the case 1 can be rotated on a horizontal plane.

  An opening 1d is provided on the upper surface 1a of the case 1. And the light-shielding plate 1e is provided in the upper surface 1a so that the driver | operator cannot see the indicator 2 from the opening part 1d.

  The display device 2 projects light in a direction parallel to the bottom surface inside the case 1. The display 2 has a configuration in which a light source 2a, a liquid crystal element 2b, and an optical lens 2c are attached in a display case 2d. As the light source 2a, an LED (light emitting diode) or a xenon lamp can be used. As the display device 2, a self-luminous fluorescent display tube (VFD) can be used. In this case, a light source is unnecessary.

  The folding mirror 4 is constituted by a full-face mirror (general mirror). The folding mirror 4 is opposed to the display device 2 and reflects light projected from the display device 2 when the HUD is used (see FIG. 7), and transmits the light to the combiner 3 through the opening 1d. Is arranged inside the case 1 at a predetermined inclination angle.

  In FIG. 2, the combiner 3 and its rotation mechanism part 5 are shown. The combiner 3 is comprised from the display part 3b and the support part 3c. The display unit 3b is configured by a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective half mirror. In addition, the display part 3b can also be comprised with a hologram instead of a half mirror.

  The rotation mechanism unit 5 of the present embodiment includes a rotation center shaft 21, a combiner side gear 22, reduction gears 23 and 24, and a motor 25. These correspond to the rotating means of the present invention. The rotation center shaft 21, the reduction gears 23 and 24, and the motor 25 are fixed to the case 1.

  The rotation center shaft 21 is provided on the support portion 3 b of the combiner 3, and is a shaft that becomes the center when the combiner 3 is rotated.

  The combiner-side gear 22 transmits power from the reduction gears 23 and 24 to the combiner 3, and is integrated with the support portion 3 b of the combiner 3. Note that the combiner-side gear 15 and the support portion 3b do not have to be integrated, and can be bonded together.

  The reduction gears 23 and 24 are for reducing the rotation of the motor 25. In this embodiment, two reduction gears are used, but the number of reduction gears may be other numbers.

  The motor 25 is a power source that electrically rotates the combiner 3. As the motor 25, a stepper motor can be used. Thereby, for example, the combiner 3 can be rotated every 1 notch or 0.1 notch (every desired angle). The motor 25 is operated by supplying power from a battery (not shown).

  When the motor 25 is rotated by the rotation mechanism having such a configuration, the power is transmitted to the combiner 3 through the reduction gears 23 and 24 and the combiner side gear 22. Thereby, the combiner 3 can be rotated around the rotation center shaft 21 to bring the combiner 3 into a raised state or a fallen state.

  Further, both ends of the combiner-side gear 22 are a first holding angle adjusting unit 22a and a second holding angle adjusting unit 22b, respectively. When the combiner 3 is raised (see FIG. 7), the combiner 3 can be rotated by an appropriate angle by the first holding angle adjusting unit 22a, and the holding angle (standing angle) of the combiner 3 is adjusted. It is possible.

  Similarly, the holding angle of the combiner 3 can be adjusted by the second holding angle adjusting unit 22b even when the combiner 3 is tilted as shown in FIG. That is, the combiner 3 can be held at an arbitrary angle as shown by the broken line in FIG. 1 even when the combiner 3 is tilted down by the second holding angle adjusting unit 22b.

  Although the HUD is not shown in FIG. 1, the ECU 31 as the control means, the display circuit 32, the light source circuit 33, the motor drive circuit 34, the HUD ON / OFF switch 35, and the display position adjustment switch 36. FIG. 3 shows these circuit blocks.

  The ECU 31 controls the light source 2 a, the liquid crystal element 2 c, and the motor 25 of the display device 2. Further, as will be described later, the ECU 31 executes a holding angle adjustment control process when the combiner 3 is in a collapsed state.

  The display circuit 32 is a circuit that receives an instruction signal from the ECU 31 and controls display contents displayed on the liquid crystal element 2c. The light source circuit 33 is a circuit that receives the instruction signal from the ECU 31 and controls the light source 2a.

  For example, vehicle speed, simple navigation, night view, and the like are displayed on the combiner 3 by inputting information to the ECU 31 from, for example, a vehicle speed sensor or a navigation device (not shown).

  The motor drive circuit 34 is a circuit that receives an instruction signal from the ECU 31 and drives the motor 25. When the driver operates the ON / OFF switch 35, an ON signal is input from the ON / OFF switch 35 to the ECU 31 and an operation instruction signal is input from the ECU 31 to the motor drive circuit 34. 25, the combiner 3 comes up.

  On the other hand, at the time of OFF, as in the case of ON, the combiner 3 is tilted by the motor 25 when an OFF signal is input from the ON / OFF switch 35 to the ECU 31.

  The display position adjustment switch 36 adjusts the standing angle of the combiner 3 when the HUD is used, thereby absorbing the difference in the driver's eye position (vertical direction) and displaying the display image 6 displayed on the combiner 3. This is for adjusting the position.

  For example, when the driver uses the HUD, the driver operates the display position adjustment switch 36 to input an operation instruction signal to the ECU 31, and the ECU 31 outputs an operation instruction signal to the motor drive circuit 34. Thereby, the motor 25 is driven, and the holding angle when the combiner 3 stands is adjusted.

  Here, the case where the driver adjusts the standing angle of the combiner 3 by operating the switch 36 has been described as an example. However, by using various sensors, the position of the seat can be detected or the eyes of the driver can be adjusted. The standing angle of the combiner 3 can be automatically adjusted by detecting the position.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ECU 31 receives signals having various information from sensors mounted on the vehicle, that is, a geomagnetic sensor 37, an inclinometer 38, and a GPS receiving antenna (receiver, antenna) 39. It has become so.

  The geomagnetic sensor 37 detects the traveling direction of the vehicle. The inclinometer 38 detects the amount of vehicle inclination (inclination angle). The GPS receiving antenna 39 detects the absolute position (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle by communication with the satellite, and also detects the date and time. This date and time refers to the date and time.

  These geomagnetic sensor 37, inclinometer 38, and GPS receiving antenna 39 correspond to the solar position detecting means of the present invention. Further, the geomagnetic sensor 37 and the inclinometer 38 respectively correspond to the vehicle traveling direction detection means and the vehicle inclination amount detection means of the present invention. The GPS receiving antenna 39 corresponds to the vehicle absolute position detecting means and date / time information acquiring means of the present invention.

  Next, a method for preventing the driver from being dazzled by sunlight when the combiner 3 has fallen will be described.

  When the driver does not use the HUD, the ECU 31 executes a holding angle adjustment control process for the combiner 3. This adjustment control process is executed when the ignition switch is ON and the HUD is OFF.

  In the holding angle adjustment control process, the ECU 31 first estimates the relative position of the sun with respect to the vehicle. In other words, the ECU 31 determines the position of the sun 11 relative to the vehicle based on the detection results (the vehicle traveling direction, the amount of vehicle inclination, the latitude and longitude of the vehicle, the date and time) input from the geomagnetic sensor 37, the inclinometer 38, and the GPS receiving antenna 39. , 12 are estimated.

  Subsequently, the ECU 31 applies the sunlight 11a, 11b reflected on the back surface 3a of the combiner 3 or the back surface 3a of the combiner 3 and the windshield 13 based on the estimated solar positions 11, 12 as shown in FIG. An appropriate holding angle of the combiner 3 is calculated so that the reflected sunlight 12a, 12b, 12c does not enter the eyes of the driver.

  Then, when the holding angle of the combiner 3 is not an appropriate angle, the ECU 31 outputs an operation instruction signal to the motor drive circuit 34 so as to be an appropriate holding angle. Thereby, when the motor 25 operates, the holding angle of the combiner 3 is automatically adjusted.

  As described above, in the HUD of the present embodiment, the support portion 3b of the combiner 3 has the second holding angle adjustment portion 22b configured by the combiner-side gear, and the combiner 3 is in a tilted state. In addition, the holding angle of the combiner 3 can be adjusted.

  Further, the HUD of the present embodiment includes a motor 25 serving as a rotational power source for the combiner 3, a motor drive circuit 34 that controls the motor 25, and an ECU 31. The ECU 31 receives signals having various information from the geomagnetic sensor 37, the inclinometer 38, and the GPS receiving antenna 39. The ECU 31 automatically adjusts the holding angle of the combiner 3 by executing the holding angle adjustment control process of the combiner 3 when the combiner 3 is in a collapsed state.

  Thereby, when the combiner 3 is in a fallen state, the angle of the combiner 3 is automatically adjusted to prevent sunlight from being reflected on the back surface 3a of the combiner 3 and entering the driver's eyes. it can. As a result, the driver can be prevented from being dazzled by the sunlight reflected by the back surface 3a of the combiner 3.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, when the combiner 3 is in a collapsed state (when the HUD is not used), the case where the angle of the combiner 3 is automatically set to an appropriate angle has been described as an example, but as in the present embodiment, The driver can also set the angle of the combiner 3.

  FIG. 5 shows a circuit block in the second embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, in this embodiment, the HUD has an external light reflection preventing switch 41. The ECU 31 receives a signal from an external light reflection preventing switch 41 instead of the geomagnetic sensor 37, the inclinometer 38, and the GPS receiving antenna 39 (see FIG. 3). Other components are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The ECU 31 receives the signal input from the external light reflection preventing switch 41, controls the motor 25 via the motor drive circuit 34, and changes the holding angle of the combiner 3 when the combiner 3 is tilted. It has become.

  For example, when the button of the external light reflection prevention switch 41 is pressed and held for a long time, the combiner 3 rotates to change the holding angle of the combiner 3 by a predetermined angle, and when the button is released, the combiner 3 stops rotating. can do.

  In the present embodiment, when the driver feels that sunlight is reflected on the back surface of the combiner 3 or further reflected on the windshield 13 when the HUD is not used, Press the button of the anti-reflection switch 41.

  Then, the driver releases the button when the holding angle of the combiner 3 becomes an appropriate angle. Thereby, sunlight can be prevented from being reflected on the back surface of the combiner 3 and entering the eyes of the driver.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the external light reflection preventing switch 41 is provided separately from the display position adjustment switch 36 has been described as an example. However, the external light reflection preventing switch 41 and the display position adjustment switch 36 may be a single switch. It can also be configured.

(Third embodiment)
In the first and second embodiments, the case where the combiner 3 is electrically rotated using the motor 25 has been described as an example. However, the combiner 3 can be manually rotated.

  In FIG. 6, the side view of the combiner 3 and the rotation mechanism part 5 in 3rd Embodiment of this invention is shown. The HUD of this embodiment has a configuration in which the reduction gears 23 and 24 and the motor 25 are changed to a rotation stopping portion 42 in the rotation mechanism portion 5 in FIG.

  The rotation stopping part 42 has a protrusion 42 a, and the protrusion 42 a is positioned in the recess of the combiner side gear 22, thereby stopping the rotation of the combiner 3. The combiner-side gear 22 is provided only on both ends of the support portion 3c so as to have the first holding angle adjusting portion 22a and the second holding angle adjusting portion 22b.

  Also in this embodiment, since the combiner 3 has the 2nd holding | maintenance angle adjustment part 22b, the driver | operator can adjust the holding | maintenance angle of the combiner 3 to a suitable angle manually at the time of non-use of HUD. . Accordingly, when the driver feels that sunlight is reflected on the back surface of the combiner 3 and enters the eyes, the sunlight is reflected on the back surface of the combiner 3 by adjusting the holding angle of the combiner 3. In the eyes of the driver.

(Other embodiments)
(1) In the first embodiment, the geomagnetic sensor 37 is used as the vehicle traveling direction detecting means, the inclinometer 38 is used as the vehicle inclination amount detecting means, and the GPS receiving antenna 39 is used as the absolute position detecting means of the vehicle. Although described as an example, a receiving antenna for road-to-vehicle communication can also be used as the traveling direction detection means, the inclination amount detection means, and the absolute position detection means.

  The road-to-vehicle communication is to transmit road information (road inclination, latitude / longitude, etc.) from a transmitter provided on the road to a receiving antenna mounted on the vehicle.

  In this case, for example, a GPS receiver and an antenna can be used as the date and time information acquisition means.

  (2) In the first embodiment, the case where the relative position of the sun with respect to the vehicle is estimated as an example using the geomagnetic sensor 37, the inclinometer 38, and the GPS receiving antenna 39 as the solar position detecting means has been described. As the sun position detecting means, the position of the sun can be directly detected using a camera or the like.

  (3) In the first and second embodiments, the ECU 31, the display circuit 32, the light source circuit 33, and the motor drive circuit 34 have been described as examples. However, these may be a single ECU. it can.

It is side surface sectional drawing of HUD in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the combiner 3 in FIG. 1, and its rotation mechanism part 5. FIG. It is a block diagram of the circuit which HUD of FIG. 1 has. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the effect of HUD of FIG. It is a block diagram of the circuit which HUD in a 2nd embodiment of the present invention has. It is a side view of the combiner 3 of HUD and the rotation mechanism part 5 in 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the conventional HUD in a use condition. It is side surface sectional drawing of the conventional HUD in a non-use state. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the subject which this invention solves.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Case, 2 ... Display, 3 ... Combiner, 4 ... Folding mirror, 5 ... Turning mechanism part,
11, 12 ... Sun, 21 ... Center of rotation,
22 ... Combiner side gear, 22a ... 1st holding angle adjustment part,
22b: second holding angle adjusting unit, 23, 24 ... reduction gear, 25 ... motor,
31 ... ECU, 32 ... display circuit, 33 ... light source circuit, 34 ... motor drive circuit,
35 ... HUD ON / OFF switch, 36 ... Display position adjustment switch,
37 ... Geomagnetic sensor, 38 ... Inclinometer, 39 ... GPS receiving antenna,
41 ... External light antireflection switch, 42 ... Rotation stop part.

Claims (3)

A display (2) for projecting light;
A combiner (3) that is disposed closer to the driver than the windshield (13) of the vehicle and displays the virtual image (6) when the light is incident thereon;
Rotating means (5, 21, 22, 23, 24) for rotating the combiner so that the virtual image (6) is displayed on the combiner (3) or tilted in the vehicle front-rear direction. 25), a head-up display comprising:
The head-up display, wherein the combiner (3) is adjustable in holding angle in a collapsed state. A motor (25) as the rotating means;
Control means (31) for controlling the motor (25),
The control means (31) is configured to receive detection results from solar position detection means (37, 38, 39) for detecting the relative position of the sun with respect to the vehicle,
The control means (31) adjusts the holding angle of the combiner (3) by controlling the motor (25) according to the detection result when the combiner (3) is in a fallen state. The head-up display according to claim 1, wherein the head-up display is configured as described above. As the sun position detection means, a vehicle traveling direction detection means (37), a vehicle inclination amount detection means (38), a vehicle absolute position detection means (39), and a date / time information acquisition means (39) are used. The head-up display according to claim 2.

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