JP5410776B2 - Display device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device as information display means for a rider such as a driver or a driver (hereinafter simply referred to as a driver) in a vehicle such as a vehicle, and more particularly to a display device attached to an interior member of a vehicle.

  In vehicles such as automobiles and airplanes, instrument information, for example, various displays indicating speed, engine speed, etc. are transmitted to the driver by a speedometer, tachometer, etc. For example, in automobiles, so-called meters are displayed on the dashboard. A cluster (instrument panel) is installed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Recently, a so-called head-up display that displays such information on a front window has been used (see, for example, Patent Document 2, particularly FIG. 2).

JP 2002-356118 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-15555

  In the case of using a meter cluster, it is natural that there is always a meter cluster there, except during operation. The interior design is also an important factor in increasing consumers' willingness to purchase in vehicles such as automobiles in recent years, and the existing meter cluster is always a major obstacle among designers. There is a case.

  In addition, the contents displayed on the meter cluster are necessary for the driver's safety and operation, and installation is obliged by law.

  On the other hand, in order to provide a novel design, it is a challenge to provide a display necessary for driving to the driver and to prevent the meter cluster from being present except during driving.

  As one of methods for solving this problem, a method using a head-up display has been proposed. In the head-up display, a unit for projecting an image to the front window can be installed in the dashboard. Therefore, if all necessary displays are projected, the meter cluster is unnecessary, which is advantageous in design. However, since the display of the head-up display is created as a projection image on the front window or the combiner, the background becomes a scenery outside the vehicle, and the display may be difficult to see due to the scenery coming in the background. Further, when traveling toward the sun, the sunlight projected on the transparent front window is almost invisible because the sunlight is very bright.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a display device that greatly increases the degree of freedom when designing around the driver's seat.

  The present invention is a display device attached to an interior member of a vehicle, having an object to be observed including instrument information, a semi-transparent base that is separated so as to cover the object to be observed and includes a symmetry plane, and A real mirror image forming optical system that forms a real image of the observed object at a plane symmetrical position of the observed object with respect to the symmetry plane in a space opposite to the observed object with respect to the base. A characteristic display device is provided.

  In the present invention, the real mirror image forming optical system includes a two-surface corner reflector array including a plurality of two-surface corner reflectors arranged with a gap in the plane of symmetry of the base, and each of the two-surface corner reflectors includes two It consists of mirror surfaces that are orthogonal, and the intersection line of the mirror surfaces is orthogonal to the symmetry plane. For the object to be observed, a part of the light beam emitted from the object is incident on the intersection line of the mirror surface and passes between the two-surface corner reflectors. Thus, it can be arranged so as to reach the space on the opposite side of the object to be observed.

Further, in the present invention, the real mirror image forming optical system includes a half mirror formed on the base and arranged as a symmetry plane;
It is also possible to include a plurality of retro-reflectors arranged at positions where the light beam reflected from the half mirror among the light beams emitted from the object to be observed is retroreflected in the space on the object side.

  According to the present invention, a real mirror that forms an image of a real object (also referred to as a real mirror image) including a display such as information necessary for the driver at a plane symmetrical position of the object to be observed with respect to a predetermined symmetry plane. Since the image forming optical system is used, a novel design can be provided and an easy-to-view display is possible even in various environments.

  Specifically, a real mirror image forming optical system is arranged on the front of the driver, for example, on the dashboard of the vehicle, and the real mirror image is sandwiched between the symmetry planes included in the base constituting the real mirror image forming optical system. The object is achieved by arranging an object to be observed in a space on the opposite side to the object, that is, in the dashboard.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the base including the symmetry plane of the real mirror image forming optical system can be integrally formed on a dashboard or the like, and the dashboard cannot be uneven.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the object to be observed is displayed in conjunction with an engine start switch. That is, the real mirror image can be observed by the driver only when the engine is running, such as when the vehicle is operating or when it can be operated, and no display is observed on the dashboard when the engine is not running. Since the base including the symmetry plane of the real mirror image forming optical system is formed integrally with the dashboard, the driver can only observe the dashboard when the engine is not running. Since light is not emitted in a space (inside the dashboard) opposite to the real mirror image across the symmetry plane, the real mirror image imaging optical system, that is, the dashboard surface can only be observed. Thus, it is possible to remove a large design obstacle that a meter cluster that has always been desired to be solved by designers is always there.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the upper surface of the base including the symmetry plane of the real mirror image forming optical system is colored in the same color as the dashboard, so that in addition to the integration as the shape, further integration as a color can be realized. It is preferable in terms of design.

  In addition, it is preferable to use an image displayed on an electronic display, particularly its display surface, as an object to be observed arranged in the dashboard because the freedom of display contents is increased.

  Furthermore, if a stereoscopic image displayed on the display surface of an electronic display capable of displaying a three-dimensional image is used as the object to be observed, an effect that an image having an impact on the driver can be obtained is further preferable.

  The object to be observed may be an image that dynamically changes over time. In addition to an electronic display, a machine indicator such as a neon sign or a normal needle type speedometer can be used as an object to be observed.

  As a real mirror imaging optical system, the inner wall of a hole (through hole) formed in a direction that penetrates the symmetry plane together with the base and the side surface of a transparent cylindrical body protruding in the thickness direction of the base are used as a mirror surface. A two-sided corner reflector array can be used. Further, a combination of a half mirror and a retroreflector array (in this case, the symmetry plane and the half mirror plane coincide with each other) can be used as the real mirror image forming optical system.

  More specifically, in the present invention, the real mirror image forming optical system is capable of observing the real mirror image of the object to be imaged from a viewpoint oblique to the base (symmetric plane). As a specific example, a real mirror image forming optical system including a two-surface corner reflector array can be given. A two-sided corner reflector array is a planar assembly of a plurality of two-sided corner reflectors composed of two orthogonal mirror surfaces. One common plane perpendicular to all the mirror surfaces is covered. This is a plane of symmetry between the observed object and the real mirror image. This two-surface corner reflector array reflects the light emitted from the object to be observed twice by the two mirror surfaces of each two-surface corner reflector, and transmits the light through the symmetry plane. It has the effect of forming a real mirror image of the object to be observed at a plane symmetrical position of the object to be observed with respect to the plane.

  The structure of the two-surface corner reflector array is simply described by arranging a large number of mirror surfaces substantially perpendicular to the symmetry plane on the symmetry plane. The problem as a structure is how to support and fix the mirror surface to the symmetry plane. As a more specific method of forming a mirror surface, for example, a two-sided corner reflector array is provided with a base that partitions a predetermined space, and one plane passing through the base is defined as a symmetry plane. The corner reflector can be used as an optical hole assumed in a direction passing through the symmetry plane, and the inner wall of the hole formed in the base can be used as a mirror surface. The hole formed in the substrate only needs to be transparent so that light can pass through, for example, the inside may be filled with a vacuum or a transparent gas or liquid. Also, the shape of the hole may be any shape as long as the inner wall has a mirror surface not included in one or more coplanar surfaces to serve as a unit optical element, and the light reflected by the mirror surface can pass through the hole. It may be a complicated shape in which each hole is connected or a part thereof is missing. For example, an aspect in which individual mirror surfaces stand on the surface of the base can be understood as connecting holes formed in the base.

  Alternatively, the two-surface corner reflector may use a cylindrical body formed of a solid such as transparent glass or resin as an optical hole. In addition, when each cylindrical body is formed of solid, these cylindrical bodies may be brought into close contact with each other and serve as a support member for the element, and project from the surface of the base as having a base. You may take the aspect which did. The cylindrical body also has one or more mirror surfaces not included in the same plane for acting as a two-surface corner reflector on its inner wall, and the light reflected by the mirror surface can pass through the cylindrical body. As long as it can take any shape, it may be a cylindrical body, but it may be a complicated shape in which each cylindrical body is connected or partially missing.

  Here, as the optical hole, a shape in which all adjacent inner wall surfaces are orthogonal, such as a cube or a rectangular parallelepiped, can be considered. In this case, the distance between the two-surface corner reflectors can be minimized, and a high-density arrangement is possible.

  When there are a plurality of mirror surfaces in the two-sided corner reflector, there is a possibility that there is multiple reflected transmitted light that causes reflection more than the expected number of times. As a countermeasure against this multiple reflection, when two mirror surfaces orthogonal to each other are formed on the inner wall of the optical hole, the surfaces other than these two mirror surfaces are made non-mirror surfaces so that light is not reflected, By providing an angle or providing a curved surface so as not to be vertical, it is possible to reduce or eliminate multiple reflected light that causes three or more reflections. In order to obtain a non-mirror surface, it is possible to employ a configuration in which the surface is covered with an antireflection coating or a thin film, or a configuration in which the surface roughness is roughened to cause irregular reflection. It should be noted that even a transparent and flat substrate does not hinder the function of the optical element, so that the substrate can be arbitrarily used as a support member / protective member.

  Furthermore, in order to increase the brightness of the actual mirror image, it is desirable to arrange a plurality of two-sided corner reflectors on the symmetry plane with as little spacing as possible. For example, it is effective to arrange them in a grid pattern. is there. Further, in this case, there is an advantage that manufacture is also facilitated. As a mirror surface in a two-sided corner reflector, a mirror that reflects a flat surface formed of a glossy substance such as a metal or a resin regardless of whether it is solid or liquid, or between transparent media having different refractive indexes. A material that reflects or totally reflects on a flat boundary surface can be used. Further, when the mirror surface is configured by total reflection, undesired multiple reflection by a plurality of mirror surfaces is likely to exceed the critical angle of total reflection, so that it can be expected to be naturally suppressed. Further, the mirror surface may be formed on a very small part of the inner wall of the optical hole as long as there is no functional problem, and may be constituted by a plurality of unit mirror surfaces arranged in parallel. In other words, the latter aspect means that one mirror surface may be divided into a plurality of unit mirror surfaces. In this case, the unit mirror surfaces do not necessarily have to be on the same plane as long as they are parallel to each other. Further, each unit mirror surface is allowed to be either in contact with or apart from each other.

  Furthermore, as another specific example applicable as a real mirror image forming optical system in the present invention, an optical system including a retroreflector array that retroreflects light rays and a half mirror having a half mirror surface that reflects and transmits light rays. It is a system. In this real mirror image forming optical system, the half mirror surface is a surface (symmetric surface) that is set to be exposed on the base with the upper surface of the dashboard, and is reflected or transmitted by the half mirror among the light rays emitted from the object to be observed. The thing which has arrange | positioned the retro-reflector array in the position which can retroreflect a light ray can be mentioned. The retro reflector array is disposed only in the space on the same side as the object to be observed with respect to the half mirror, and is provided at a position where the light reflected by the half mirror is retroreflected. Here, “retroreflection”, which is the action of the retroreflector, refers to a phenomenon in which the reflected light is reflected (reversely reflected) in the direction in which the incident light is incident. The incident light and the reflected light are parallel and opposite to each other. Become. A plurality of such retroreflectors arranged in an array is a retroreflector array. If the individual retroreflectors are sufficiently small, the paths of incident light and reflected light can be regarded as overlapping. In this retroreflector array, the retroreflectors do not have to be on a plane, may be on a curved surface, and do not have to be on the same plane, and each retroreflector is scattered three-dimensionally. It does not matter. The half mirror refers to a mirror having both a function of transmitting light and a function of reflecting light, and preferably has a transmittance and a reflectance of approximately 1: 1.

  As the retro reflector, one composed of three adjacent mirror surfaces (which can be called a “corner reflector” in a broad sense) or a cat's eye retro reflector can be used. The corner reflector includes a corner reflector composed of three mirror surfaces orthogonal to each other, two of the angles formed by the three adjacent mirror surfaces are 90 degrees, and the other angle is 90 / N degrees (N May be an acute angle retroreflector or the like in which the angles formed by the three mirror surfaces are 90 degrees, 60 degrees, and 45 degrees.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the aspect of mounting inside the dashboard has been described. However, the display device of the present invention can be modularized and mounted on the top of the dashboard.

  According to the present invention, there is only a base including a symmetry plane of the real mirror image forming optical system on the dashboard, and the base is integrated with the dashboard in shape and color. As a result, it is possible to realize a situation with nothing but a base on the dashboard, and to increase the degree of freedom when designing around the cockpit.

  Since the display obtained by the present invention is formed as a real image on the symmetry plane of the real mirror image forming optical system, that is, in the space on the dashboard, the background is the base, and the display mentioned as a problem in the head-up display The difficulty of seeing does not occur.

  In addition, when a real mirror image forming optical system is used, an aerial image can be created as a real image, and further, a stereoscopic image can be obtained by making the object to be observed a three-dimensional structure or a three-dimensional display.

1 is a perspective overview showing a part of the interior of a vehicle to which a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a schematic side view which shows typically the state which looked at the principal part of the display apparatus of the embodiment from the side. It is a schematic perspective view which shows typically the image formation style of the 2 surface corner reflector array applied to the display apparatus of the embodiment. It is the schematic plan view and partial notch perspective view which show typically the example of a specific structure of the 2 surface corner reflector ray applied to the display apparatus of the embodiment. It is a schematic plan view which shows typically the imaging style by the 2 surface corner reflector array applied to the display apparatus of the embodiment. It is a schematic side view which shows typically the imaging style by the 2 surface corner reflector array applied to the display apparatus of the embodiment. It is a general-view figure of the dashboard which shows other embodiments of the present invention. It is a general-view figure of the dashboard which shows the embodiment. It is a schematic side view which shows typically the aspect of the retroreflection of the light ray by an example of the retroreflector array applied to the real mirror image formation optical system of the principal part of the display apparatus of other embodiment by this invention, and a retroreflector. . It is a schematic perspective view which shows typically the aspect of the retroreflection of the light ray by the other example of the retroreflector array applied to the real mirror image formation optical system which shows other embodiment of this invention, and a retroreflector. It is a schematic side plan view schematically showing a retroreflecting aspect of light rays by an example of a retroreflector array and a retroreflector applied to the real mirror image forming optical system. It is a schematic side plan view schematically showing a retroreflecting aspect of light rays according to another example of a retroreflector array and a retroreflector applied to the real mirror image forming optical system.

  Below, the display apparatus which displays the image containing the meter information of one Embodiment by this invention is demonstrated using drawing.

  FIG. 1 shows a dashboard DB around an interior of an automobile including a display device 1 to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of the display device 1 to which the present invention is applied. This display device 1 is an application of the present invention to a dashboard of a vehicle. Specifically, the display device 1 is arranged in the vicinity of the dashboard near the front of the driver, and a display for speed information and the like to be visually recognized by the driver is arranged in the dashboard as an object to be observed. The image is formed as a real mirror image P in a space on the opposite side of the plane of symmetry with respect to the plane of symmetry, that is, in a space above the dashboard.

  In this embodiment, a two-sided corner reflector array 6 is provided on the dashboard upper surface portion 3 as a real mirror image forming optical system, and the dashboard is projected through the two-sided corner reflector array 6 to project an aerial image on the dashboard. An object to be observed 72 that is the source of the aerial image is arranged inside the board so as not to be seen from the line of sight of the driver who is the observer. In this embodiment, an image displayed on the display surface 71 of the liquid crystal display 7 is applied as the observation object 72. As shown in FIG. 2, an image 72 such as a speedometer that is an object to be displayed displayed on the display surface 71 of the liquid crystal display 7 is turned upside down, so that the space in the upper part 3 of the dashboard It is made to appear as a real mirror image P of the image 72. The display device includes a liquid crystal display 7 and a two-sided corner reflector array 6. For the liquid crystal display 7, for example, a color liquid crystal display panel capable of displaying a color image is used. Although not shown, the display device 1 includes a drive circuit connected to the liquid crystal display 7 and a video signal supply unit that supplies a video signal for an image including instrument information connected thereto.

  In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display 7 is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the object to be observed is represented by an electronic display other than liquid crystal, a neon sign, or a normal needle type speedometer. A machine indicator can be used. In the case of using an electronic display, the display can be changed with time. In addition, the neon sign can effectively convey information to the driver by a method such as blinking even if the display is fixed. Conventional display methods such as moving the needle can be applied as they are to the machine indicator.

  Here, the configuration and operation of the two-surface corner reflector array 6 applied to the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4, the two-surface corner reflector array 6 is a collection of a large number of two-surface corner reflectors 61 composed of two mutually orthogonal mirror surfaces 61a and 61b. By forming a plane substantially perpendicular to each of the two mirror surfaces 61a and 61b constituting the corner reflector 61 as a symmetry plane 6S, and forming a real mirror image P of the image 72 as an object to be observed at the plane symmetry position, An aerial image is observed by a driver who is an observer. In the present embodiment, the two-surface corner reflector 61 is very small (μm order) compared to the overall size (cm order) of the two-surface corner reflector array 6, and therefore the two-surface corner reflector 61 of FIG. The entire set is represented in gray, the direction of the inner angle at which the mirror surface opens is represented by a V shape, and the two-surface corner reflector 61 is exaggerated. FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the two-surface corner reflector array 6 in FIG. 4A and a partial perspective view in FIG. 4B. However, in FIG. 4, the two-surface corner reflector 61 and the mirror surfaces 61 a and 61 b are greatly exaggerated as compared with the entire two-surface corner reflector array 6.

  The double-sided corner reflector array 6 is formed with a number of physical and optical holes penetrating the thickness perpendicular to the flat base surface so that the light beam can be bent and transmitted, for example. Then, in order to use the inner wall surface of each hole as the two-surface corner reflector 61, it is possible to employ one in which mirror surfaces 61a and 61b are respectively formed on two orthogonal inner wall surfaces of the hole. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, a physical and optical hole (for example, one side) through which a light beam having a substantially rectangular shape (for example, a square shape) in plan view is transmitted through a thin plate-shaped substrate so that the substrate is semi-transmissive. For example, 50 to 200 μm), and if two mirror surfaces 61a and 61b are subjected to smooth mirror surface treatment on two adjacent inner wall surfaces that are orthogonal to each other to form mirror surfaces 61a and 61b, these two mirror surfaces 61a and 61b are defined as reflecting surfaces. The two-surface corner reflector 61 can be obtained. Further, by coloring the upper surface of the base including the upper ends of the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b in the same color as the dashboard, it is possible to increase the sense of unity with the dashboard. It should be noted that it is preferable to suppress the multiple reflected light by making the surface of the inner wall surface of the hole that does not constitute the two-sided corner reflector 61 into a surface that is not mirror-reflected and cannot reflect light, or is angled. . Furthermore, in order to improve the integration with the above-described dashboard, it is preferable that this surface (the portion not constituting the two-surface corner reflector 61) is also colored in the same color as the dashboard. In addition, each of the two-surface corner reflectors 61 is preferably formed on a regular lattice point so that the inner angles formed by the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b are all in the same direction on the base. Therefore, in each two-surface corner reflector, it is preferable that the intersecting line of two orthogonal mirror surfaces CL is orthogonal to the symmetry plane 6S. Hereinafter, the direction of the inner angle of the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b may be referred to as the direction (direction) of the two-surface corner reflector 61.

  In forming the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b, for example, a metal mold is first prepared, and the inner wall surface on which the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b are to be formed is subjected to nano-scale cutting processing or a pressing method using the mold to the nano-scale. It is preferable that the mirror surface is formed by processing by the applied nanoimprint method or electroforming method, and that the surface roughness is 10 nm or less so that the surface is uniformly mirrored in the visible light spectrum region. In addition, when the base is formed of a metal such as aluminum or nickel by an electroforming method, the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b naturally become mirror surfaces if the surface roughness of the mold is sufficiently small. However, using the nanoimprint method When the substrate is made of resin or the like, it is necessary to perform mirror coating by sputtering or the like in order to create the mirror surfaces 61a and 61b. Moreover, the transmittance | permeability can be improved by setting the space | interval dimension of the adjacent 2 surface corner reflectors 61 as small as possible. However, the configuration of the two-surface corner reflector array 6 is not limited to that described above, and a large number of two-surface corner reflectors 61 are formed by two orthogonal mirror surfaces 61a and 61b, and each of the two-surface corner reflectors 61 is an optical hole. As long as it transmits light, an appropriate configuration and manufacturing method can be adopted.

  In the double-sided corner reflector array 6, each double-sided corner reflector 61 reflects light entering the hole from the back side by one mirror surface 61a (or 61b), and further reflects the reflected light to the other mirror surface 61b (or 61a) has a function of reflecting the light and allowing it to pass to the front surface side, and the light entrance path and the light emission path are symmetrical with respect to the symmetry plane 6S. That is, the symmetry plane 6S (assuming a plane that passes through the center in the height direction of each mirror surface and is orthogonal to each mirror surface) of the two-surface corner reflector array 6 is a real image of the observation object 72 inside the dashboard top surface 3. These are symmetrical planes that are formed as mirror images (real mirror images) at plane symmetry positions in the space above the bottom wall 3.

  Here, an image formation mode by the two-surface corner reflector array 6 will be briefly described along with a path of light emitted from the point light source o as an object to be observed. As shown in a schematic plan view in FIG. 5 and a schematic side view in FIG. 6, light emitted from a point light source o (indicated by a one-dot chain line arrow. When the light passes through the two-surface corner reflector array 6, it is reflected by one of the mirror surfaces 61a (or 61b) constituting the two-surface corner reflector 61 and further the other mirror surface 61b (or 61a). After passing through the symmetry plane 6S, it passes through the plane of symmetry of the point light source o with respect to the plane of symmetry 6S of the two-plane corner reflector array 6. In FIG. 5, the incident light and the reflected light are shown to be parallel, but this is because the dihedral corner reflector 61 is greatly exaggerated with respect to the point light source o in FIG. 5. Actually, each of the two-sided corner reflectors 61 is extremely small, and therefore, when the two-sided corner reflector array 6 is viewed from above as shown in FIG. That is, in the end, the transmitted light gathers at a plane-symmetrical position with respect to the plane of symmetry 6S of the point light source o, and forms an image as a real mirror image at the position p in FIGS.

  As described above, since the two-surface corner reflector array 6 having the function of forming the real image P of the object 72 to be imaged as a mirror image at a plane-symmetrical position with respect to the symmetry plane 6S is incorporated in the dashboard upper surface portion 3 of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, a real mirror image P of an image (display surface of an electronic display) that is an object to be observed can be projected onto the space above the dashboard DB. In other words, there is nothing on the dashboard when it is not displayed, and a display like this example appears in the air that should be empty when it is displayed, so provide a display with impact to the driver Can do.

  The display obtained by the present invention is formed as a real mirror image P in the space (symmetric plane) of the real mirror image forming optical system, that is, in the space on the dashboard. In order for the driver to observe the real mirror image P, the base (symmetric plane) must always exist in the background of the real mirror image P. On the contrary, even if the real mirror image P can be formed on the dashboard, this restriction guarantees that a landscape cannot come on the back, unlike the image formed on the front window of the head-up display. Therefore, the display difficulty that is a problem in the head-up display does not occur.

  Here, the real mirror image P to be viewed by the observer may appear fixed in one place in the air as described above, but the display 7 is operated or displayed on the display surface 71. Moving the image 72 to move it above the dashboard is also extremely useful for giving the driver an impactful display.

  Furthermore, for example, in a vehicle equipped with a detection system for preventing a rear-end collision at the tail of a traffic jam on an expressway, as shown in FIG. 7, up to the hazard lamp button HLB on the dashboard DB provided with the hazard lamp button HLB. The dihedral corner reflector array 6 can also be enlarged. As a result, when the detection system detects the end of the traffic jam, as shown in FIG. 8, a display PRM that prompts the driver to press the hazard lamp button HLB in order to notify the danger to the following vehicle that may have a rear-end collision. Since the aerial display overlaps with existing buttons, it is extremely useful for the driver.

  FIG. 9 is a side view showing an essential part of another embodiment of the display device 1 ′ to which the present invention is applied. An overview of the display device 1 ′ viewed from the front is the same as that of the display device of FIG. 1. This display device 1 'differs from the display device 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 described above only in the real mirror image forming optical system. Therefore, the same configuration as the display device 1 will be described using the same name and reference numeral.

  The real mirror image forming optical system 9 applied in the present embodiment is a combination of a half mirror 91 and a retroreflector array 92 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Then, a half mirror 91 is provided on the upper surface 3 of the dashboard, and a display for displaying an image 72 as an object to be observed from which an aerial image is displayed inside the dashboard, similarly to the display device 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 is arranged.

  As the half mirror 91, for example, a thin reflective film coated on one surface (lower surface) side of a transparent thin plate such as transparent resin or glass can be used. By applying anti-reflection treatment (AR coating) to the opposite surface (upper surface) side of the transparent thin plate, it is possible to prevent the observed real mirror image P from being doubled. In addition, although it cannot be colored too darkly, the upper surface of the half mirror is colored in the same color as the dashboard, so that integration with the dashboard, that is, design is enhanced.

  On the other hand, any kind of retroreflector array 92 can be applied as long as it reflects the incident light strictly, and a retroreflective film or a retroreflective coating on the surface of the material is also conceivable. Moreover, the shape may be a curved surface or a flat surface. For example, a retroreflector array 92 shown in an enlarged part of the front view in FIG. 11A is a corner cube array that is a set of corner cubes that use one corner of a cubic body corner. Each of the retro reflectors 92A forms a regular triangle when the mirror surfaces 92Aa, 92Ab, and 92Ac that form three isosceles right-angled isosceles triangles are gathered at one point and viewed from the front. The mirror surfaces 92Aa, 92Ab, and 92Ac are orthogonal to each other to form a corner cube. In addition, the retroreflector array 92 shown in FIG. 12A in which a part of the front view is enlarged is also a corner cube array that is a set of corner cubes using one corner of the cube body corner. The individual retro reflectors 92B form three regular mirror surfaces 92Ba, 92Bb, 92Bc, which are formed into a single hexagonal shape when the mirror surfaces 92Ba, 92Bb, 92Bc, which form three squares of the same shape and the same size, are viewed from the front. 92Bb and 92Bc are orthogonal to each other. The retroreflector array 92 is different in shape from the retroreflector array 92 of FIG. 11A, and the principle of retroreflection is the same. 11B and 12B, the retroreflector array 92 shown in FIGS. 11A and 12A will be described as an example. Of the mirror surfaces of the retroreflectors 92A and 92B, FIG. The light incident on one (for example, 92Aa, 92Ba) is sequentially reflected on the other mirror surfaces (92Ab, 92Bb) and further on the other mirror surfaces (92Ac, 92Bc), so that the light has entered the retroreflectors 92A, 92B. Reflects in the original direction. The paths of the incident light and the outgoing light with respect to the retroreflector array 92 are not strictly overlapping but are parallel to each other. However, when the retroreflectors 92A and 92B are sufficiently smaller than the retroreflector array 92, the incident light and the outgoing light. May be considered as overlapping. The difference between these two types of corner cube arrays is that the mirror surface is isosceles triangle is relatively easy to create, but the reflectivity is slightly lower, and the mirror surface is square is slightly easier to create than the isosceles triangle. While difficult, it has a high reflectivity.

  In addition to the corner cube array described above, a retroreflector array 92 that can retroreflect light rays with three mirror surfaces (“corner reflector” in a broad sense) can be employed. Although not shown, for example, as a unit retroreflective element, two mirror surfaces of three mirror surfaces are orthogonal to each other, and another mirror surface is 90 / N degrees with respect to the other two mirror surfaces (where N is an integer) And acute angle retroreflectors having angles of 90 degrees, 60 degrees, and 45 degrees formed by the adjacent mirror surfaces of the three mirror surfaces are suitable as the retroreflective element 3 applied to the present embodiment. In addition, a cat's eye retro reflector or the like can also be used as a unit retroreflective element. These retro-reflector arrays may be planar or bent or curved. Also, the arrangement position of the retroreflector array can be set appropriately as long as the light emitted from the image 72 and reflected by the half mirror 91 can be retroreflected.

  In the display device 1 ′ of this embodiment to which the real mirror image forming optical system 9 including the half mirror 91 and the retroreflector array 92 is applied, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the display surface of the display 7 is displayed. The image 72 displayed on 71 is reflected by the half mirror surface 91S of the half mirror 91 subjected to non-reflective processing on one side, retro-reflected by the retroreflector array 92, then transmitted through the half mirror 91, and then the half mirror An image is formed at a plane symmetrical position with respect to the surface 91. That is, the half mirror surface 91 functions as a symmetry plane between the image 72 as the object to be observed and the real mirror image P. Therefore, as in the display device 1 to which the two-surface corner reflector array 6 is applied, from the viewpoint of an observer (driver) viewing the half mirror surface 91 from an oblique direction, the real mirror image P is displayed in the space on the dashboard. Will appear floating.

  In the present invention, the real mirror image forming optical system is disposed near the dashboard near the front of the driver, but may be disposed in other locations, for example, near the dashboard in front of the driver seat and the passenger seat. I do not care.

  The present invention can be used as an information display device for a vehicle such as a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1 '... Display apparatus 3 ... Dashboard upper surface part 6 ... Two surface corner reflector array (real mirror image formation optical system)
6S ... Symmetrical surface 7 ... Liquid crystal display 9 ... Real mirror image forming optical system 61 ... Two-sided corner reflectors 61a, 61b ... Mirror surface 71 ... Display surface 72 ... Object to be observed (image)
91 ... Half mirror 91S ... Half mirror surface (symmetric surface, reflective surface)
92 ... Retro-reflector array 92A, 92B ... Retro-reflector 92Aa, 92Ab, 92Ac, 92Ba, 92Bb, 92bc ... Mirror surface P ... Real mirror image DB ... Dashboard HLB ... Hazard lamp button

Claims (9)

A display device attached to an interior member of a vehicle,
An observation object including instrument information;
A semi-transparent substrate that is spaced apart from the object to be observed and includes a symmetry surface so as to cover the object to be observed, and in the space opposite to the object to be observed, A real mirror image forming optical system that forms a real image of the object to be observed at a plane-symmetrical position of the object to be observed,
The interior member is a dashboard of a vehicle;
The dashboard is provided with a hazard lamp button,
A display device, wherein a real image of the object to be observed is formed so as to overlap with the hazard lamp button. The real mirror image forming optical system includes a two-surface corner reflector array including a plurality of two-surface corner reflectors arranged with a gap in the symmetry plane of the base;
Each of the two-surface corner reflectors consists of two orthogonal mirror surfaces, and the line of intersection of the mirror surfaces is orthogonal to the symmetry plane;
The object to be observed is such that a part of the light beam emitted from the object to be observed enters the intersection line of the mirror surface, passes between the two-surface corner reflectors, and reaches the space on the opposite side of the object to be observed. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is disposed. The real mirror image forming optical system includes a half mirror formed on the base and arranged as the symmetry plane;
2. A plurality of retro-reflectors arranged at positions for retroreflecting light rays reflected by the half mirror among light rays emitted from the observation object in a space on the observation object side. The display device described in 1.   The base is formed integrally with the dashboard, and the object to be observed is displayed only when the engine is started in conjunction with an engine start switch. The display apparatus in any one of.   The display device according to claim 4, wherein a surface of the base is colored in the same color as the dashboard.   The display device according to claim 1, wherein the object to be observed is an image that displays information related to a switch present on the dashboard.   The display device according to claim 1, wherein the object to be observed is an image displayed on a display surface of an electronic display.   The display device according to claim 7, wherein the object to be observed is a stereoscopic image displayed on a display surface of an electronic display capable of displaying a three-dimensional image.   The display device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the object to be observed is an image that dynamically changes over time.

Images