JPH02241841A - Display device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To observe the virtual image of information overlappingly with the front scenery by feeding the light from an information source to a light guiding plate under total reflection conditions, and extracting the light with a combiner made of a transmission type of reflection type hologram. CONSTITUTION:A transmission type hologram 14 feeding the light from an information source 13 to a light guiding plate 10 under total reflection conditions is closely stuck near one end section of the light guiding plate at the position opposite to the information source 13 such as a speed meter. A combiner 11 made of a reflection type hologram is closely stuck near the other end section of the light guiding plate 10. The light sent from the information source 13 is fed to the light guiding plate 10 via the transmission type hologram 14 under total reflection conditions, it is totally reflected and proceeds in the light guiding plate 10, then it is extracted to the outside from the combiner 11 and sent to the eyes 12 of a driver. The driver can observe the virtual image 15 of the information source 13 overlappingly with the front scenery in front of the light guiding plate 10.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle that allows the driver of the vehicle to view information on the instrument panel of the vehicle superimposed on the external scenery while keeping his/her eyes fixed on the front. This is a display device that displays information on the vehicle's instrument panel superimposed on the scenery in front of the driver on the driver's line of sight, with the aim of downsizing the vehicle.It completely reflects the light emitted from the information source and guides it to the combiner. It is configured to have a light guide plate.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle that allows the driver of the vehicle to view information on the vehicle's instrument panel superimposed on the external scenery while keeping his or her eyes fixed on the front.

In recent years, as automobiles have become more widespread in society, there has been increasing interest in safety and simplification of driving operations. In particular, much research and development has been conducted on comfortable, safe, and simple driving operations even for beginners who are inexperienced in driving.

[Conventional technology]

In conventional automobiles, as shown in FIG. 5(a), instruments such as a speedometer and a tachometer are usually arranged on a front panel 3 in the dash board 2 below the front of the driver l.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

When instruments such as a speedometer and a tachometer are arranged on the front panel 3 as described above, when the driver wants to check information about the current driving, the driver has to look at the line of sight 4 as shown in Fig. 5(a). It is necessary to move it from the front to the lower front panel 3. For this reason, beginners who are not particularly proficient in driving tend to look at the front panel many times, and during this time they tend to be inattentive to the road ahead, making them more likely to cause rear-end collisions.

For this reason, a so-called head-up display has been developed that uses a half mirror or hologram 5 to superimpose the information on the front panel 3 on the scenery ahead and display it to the driver 1, as shown in FIG. 5(b). . Such a head-up display has a problem in that the device becomes large because the information from the front panel 3 is passed through the space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a compact vehicle display device that allows information on an instrument panel to be viewed superimposed on external scenery.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the principle of the present invention.

In the figure, 10 is a light guide plate as a means for guiding light from an information source, and 11 is a combiner for displaying information from the information source by superimposing it on the scenery in front of the driver. Transmission or reflection hologram (
The light guide plate 10 is of a reflective type (as shown in the figure) and is provided in close contact with a part of the light guide plate 10.

[For production]

By making the light from the information source enter the light guide plate 10 under total reflection conditions, the light can be efficiently propagated, and the light can be extracted by a combiner 11 made of a transmission type or reflection type hologram. Information from an information source can be displayed to the eyes 12 overlaid on the scenery in front of the user.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 10 is a light guide plate, 13 is an information source such as a speedometer, and the light from the information source 13 is totally reflected at a position near one end of the light guide plate 10 facing the information source 13. A transmission hologram 14 that can enter the light guide plate 10 under certain conditions is provided in close contact, and a combiner 11 made of a reflection hologram is provided in close contact near the other end.

In this embodiment configured as described above, light emitted from the information source 13 such as a speedometer is incident on the light guide plate 10 by the transmission hologram 14 under the condition of total reflection. This light travels through the light guide plate 10 while being totally reflected, is taken out by the combiner 11, and enters the driver's eyes 12. This allows the driver to view the virtual image 15 of the information source 13 in front of the light guide plate 10 superimposed on the scenery in front of him.

According to this embodiment, the front windshield of an automobile or a separately provided glass plate can be used as the light guide plate 10, and the optical system can be downsized.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, the same parts as in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment is that, while the previous embodiment used a transmission hologram as the method of incident light from the information source 13 to the light guide plate 10, this embodiment uses a reflection hologram 16. That is what we are doing. This reflection hologram 16 is designed to introduce light from the information source 13 into the light guide plate 10 under total reflection conditions.

The present embodiment configured as described above is the same as the previous embodiment except for the method of incident light from the information source 13 onto the light guide plate 10, and the operations and effects thereof are also the same.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, the same parts as in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the first embodiment uses a transmission hologram as a method for inputting light from an information source to the light guide plate 10, whereas in this embodiment, a transmission hologram is used. The end face of the light plate 10 is formed into an inclined surface 17 so that light enters the light guide plate 10 under total reflection conditions.

The present embodiment configured in this manner is also the same as the first embodiment except for the method of introducing light into the light guide plate 10, and therefore the operations and effects thereof are also the same.

In each of the above embodiments, a reflection type hologram (combiner) is used for extracting light from the light guide plate 10, but a transmission type may of course be used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, by using a light guide plate to guide light from an information source to a combiner, information on an automobile's instrument panel is displayed in the driver's line of sight superimposed on the scenery ahead. The display device can be downsized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5, which is a diagram showing the third embodiment, is a diagram for explaining the problem to be solved by the invention. In the figure, 10 is a light guide plate, 11 is a combiner, 12 is the driver's eyes, 13 is an information screen, 14 is a transmission type hologram, and 16 is a reflection type hologram.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A display device that displays information on a vehicle's instrument panel superimposed on the scenery in front of the driver's line of sight, which totally reflects the light emitted from the information source (13). Combiner (
11) A vehicular display device characterized by having a light guide plate (10) that leads to a light guide plate (10). 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that a transmission hologram (14) or a reflection hologram (16) is used as means for totally reflecting the light emitted from the information source (13) by the light guide plate (10). Display device. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a transmission hologram or a reflection hologram is used as a combiner for superimposing information on the instrument panel and external scenery and as a means for extracting light from the light guide plate (10). Display device.