JPH115457A - Display device on instrument panel part - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device on an instrument panel part which is high in visibility, excellent in design ballance, and small in size and low in cost. SOLUTION: A liquid crystal display panel 13 to display a visible information, and a plane mirror 14 and a concave mirror 15 to reflect the display light from the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13, are provided. The visible information furnishes a virtual image visible information to visualize as a virtual image, and a direct visible information to visualize directly. Inside an instrument panel, the liquid crystal display panel 13 is provided by directing its display surface 13a to a driver side, the plane mirror 14 to form a reflection image by reflecting the virtual image visible information is provided on the way of the optical path of the display light from the display surface 13a, and furthermore, the concave mirror 15 to reflect to the driver side as well as to form the reflection image of the above reflection image formed by the plane mirror 14 is provided. The direct visible information responding position of the plane mirror 14 corresponding to the optical path of the display light of the direct visible information which is displayed to the liquid crystal display panel 13 is made as a permeable permeation area 14b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automobile, an aircraft,
The present invention relates to a display device in an instrument panel of a moving body such as a ship.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a display device in an instrument panel section of an automobile, various instruments such as a speedometer, a fuel gauge, a warning light and the like are usually arranged in an elongated shape along the left-right direction. Was configured to confirm necessary information by directly looking at.

On the other hand, in recent years, in order to enhance the visibility and merchantability of various information such as a speedometer, a fuel gauge and a warning light, an image displayed on a display device, that is, a visual information is reflected on a reflecting member such as a plane mirror. A type that reflects light and displays a distant image as a virtual image instead of a real image has been commercialized.

[0004] In this case, the display position displayed on the display device and the optical path length to the driver become longer, and as a result, the position of the focal point when the driver views the display on the display device becomes farther away, and the driver moves forward while driving. This has the effect that the focus adjustment of the eyes when viewing the display of the display device from the state of looking at the camera becomes easy.

[0005]

The position of the virtual image is related to the distance (optical path length) between the reflecting member and the image position (object point) before reflection, and the longer the distance, the farther the position of the virtual image is.

On the other hand, it is effective to combine a reflecting member to increase the optical path length in a limited space such as an instrument panel of an automobile.

For example, arrangements shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are conceivable as a method of combining reflection members in order to increase the optical path length within a limited space of the instrument panel.

More specifically, a liquid crystal display panel 2 as a display means for displaying various kinds of visual information such as a speedometer, a fuel gauge, and a warning light is disposed in a lower rear portion of the instrument panel section 1. At this time, the display surface 2a of the liquid crystal display panel 2 is arranged facing the driver.

Further, the visual recognition information of the display surface 2a is provided in the instrument panel portion 1 on the lower front side in the instrument panel portion 1 located on the optical path of the display light from the display surface 2a of the liquid crystal display panel 2. The first that reflects upwards
Is disposed.

Further, a second reflection member 4 for reflecting the visual information reflected by the first reflection member 3 toward the driver is disposed at an upper portion in the instrument panel section 1.

In this case, various kinds of visual information, such as a speedometer, displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 2 are reflected by the first reflecting member 3 to form a first reflected image, and are further reflected by the second reflecting member 4. Since the second reflection image of the first reflection image is formed and reflected toward the driver, the driver visually recognizes the second reflection image as display information.

Here, as compared with a case where various kinds of visual information such as a speedometer displayed on the display surface 2a of the liquid crystal display panel 2 are directly visually recognized, a longer optical path length is obtained by combining the reflecting members 3 and 4. Can be secured, and the above-mentioned effect by the distant display can be effectively exhibited.

However, according to such a combination method, since the optical path of the display light from the display surface 2a of the liquid crystal display panel 2 is blocked by the first reflecting member 3 and reflected, as shown in FIG. The lower half of the visible area 1a of the instrument panel section 1 is covered with the first reflective member 3 and becomes a dead area 1b in which display information of the liquid crystal display panel 2 is not displayed, and a display area 1 for displaying various information.
As c becomes narrower, various types of information are concentrated, the design content is restricted by the design, and the overall design balance of the viewing area 1a is deteriorated, resulting in a disadvantage that visibility is adversely affected.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a high visibility,
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display device in an instrument panel unit which is excellent in design balance and to provide a small and inexpensive display device in an instrument panel unit.

[0015]

A first technical means for solving the above-mentioned problems is a display means for displaying visual recognition information and a reflecting member for reflecting display light from a display surface of the display means. A display device in an instrument panel unit for displaying the visual recognition information by changing an optical path length from the display means to a driver by reflection of the display light by a reflection member, wherein the visual recognition information is visually recognized as a virtual image. With the virtual image visual recognition information and direct visual recognition information for directly visually recognizing, and in the instrument panel portion, the display means is arranged with the display surface facing the driver side,
A first reflecting member that reflects the virtual image visual recognition information to form a reflected image by reflecting the virtual image visual recognition information is disposed in an optical path of the display light from the display surface, and a reflected image of the reflected image formed by the first reflecting member. And a second reflection member that reflects toward the driver is disposed, and the first reflection member corresponds to the optical path of the display light of the direct recognition information displayed on the display means. The point is that it is a transparent region that can be transmitted.

Further, the first reflection member and / or the second reflection member may be configured as a concave mirror.

Furthermore, a second method for solving the above-mentioned problem is described.
The technical means includes a display means for displaying visual recognition information, and a reflecting member for reflecting display light from a display surface of the display means, and the reflection of the display light by the reflecting member causes the display means to reach a driver. In the display device in the instrument panel unit that displays the visual recognition information by changing an optical path length, the visual recognition information includes virtual image visual recognition information visually recognized as a virtual image and direct visual recognition information directly visible. The display means is disposed with the display surface facing the driver side in the ment panel section, and the virtual image visual recognition information is reflected in the optical path of the display light from the display surface to form a reflected image thereof. One reflection member is arranged, and a second reflection member that forms a reflection image of the reflection image formed by the first reflection member and reflects toward the driver is arranged, Direct visual information corresponding position of the first reflecting member corresponding to the optical path of the display light direct visualization information displayed on the serial display means, lies in formed by an opening area.

Further, the first reflection member and / or the second reflection member may be configured as a concave mirror.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a display device for an automobile, a housing 12 housed and fixed in an instrument panel portion 11, a liquid crystal display panel 13 provided as display means provided in the housing 12, and a first reflecting member. And a concave mirror 15 as a second reflecting member.

The housing 12 is divided into front and rear parts, and the housing body 12 on the side farther from the driver.
a and a housing cover portion 12b attached to the driver side of the housing main body portion 12a.

The driver's side surface of the housing cover portion 12b is formed as a viewing area 17, the upper half of the viewing area 17 being a virtual image viewing area 17a and the lower half being a direct viewing area 17b. ing. The virtual image viewing area 17a is transparent throughout the entire area, and the direct viewing area 17b is a direct viewing section 17c (2 in this embodiment) in which only a predetermined range is transparent.
And the other area is an opaque portion 17d which is opaque.

The viewing area 17 is appropriately provided with an anti-reflection structure in order to prevent reflection of light on the surface.

The liquid crystal display panel 13 is composed of a liquid crystal display illuminated by a backlight, and has a display surface 13a.
Displays various visual recognition information such as a speedometer 19, a fuel gauge 20, a warning light, and the like. The visual recognition information in the present embodiment includes a speedometer 19, a fuel gauge 20, an engine speed meter 2
1. Virtual image visual recognition information visually recognized as virtual images such as an odometer 22, a water temperature gauge 23, a blinker indicator 24, etc., a parking brake indicator 26, a seat belt warning light 27, a battery remaining amount warning light 28, and an exhaust temperature warning light 2.
9, direct visual recognition information such as a hydraulic warning light 30, a high beam indicator 31, and the like.

The liquid crystal display panel 13 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the housing body 12a is located at a predetermined lower portion inside the housing body portion 12a so as to be located at a lower back portion inside the instrument panel portion 11. At this time, as described above, the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13 is disposed facing the driver.

The plane mirror 14 has a reflection area 14a for reflecting the incident light and a transmission area 1 for transmitting the incident light.
As shown in FIG. 2, it is arranged at a predetermined position below the housing main body 12a so as to be located on the lower front side in the instrument panel section 11.
That is, the reflection surface 14c of the reflection area 14a is disposed in the middle of the optical path from the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13 and reflects the virtual image visual recognition information on the display surface 13a upward in the instrument panel section 11. It is arranged in an inclined posture that is directed toward the display panel 13 and is inclined upward.

The transmission area 14b of the plane mirror 14 is formed at a position corresponding to the direct visual information corresponding to the optical path of the display light of the direct visual information displayed on the display surface 13a. As shown, the upper halves of the left and right sides of the plane mirror 14 are configured as transparent transmission regions 14b with a transmittance of approximately 100%, and the other portions have a transmittance of approximately 0%.
And a reflecting mirror.

The concave mirror 15 is, as shown in FIG.
It is arranged at a predetermined position above the housing body 12a so as to be located above the instrument panel section 11. That is, in order to reflect the virtual image visual recognition information reflected on the reflection surface 14c of the plane mirror 14 toward the driver, the reflection surface 15a is disposed with the reflection surface 15a directed toward the driver and inclined downward.

The display surface 13 of the liquid crystal display panel 13
1 and 2, the virtual image visual recognition information is reflected by the reflection surface 14c of the plane mirror 14 to form a first reflection image, and the first reflection image is further formed by the concave mirror 15 as shown by the dashed line in FIGS. The driver forms the enlarged second reflection image into the virtual image viewing area 17 as shown in FIG. 3 to form an enlarged second reflection image of the reflection image and reflect the reflection image toward the driver.
It is configured to be visually recognized as display information through a.

On the other hand, the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13
Is transmitted through the transmission area 14b of the plane mirror 14 and guided directly to the visual recognition unit 17c, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the driver is also shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
It is configured to be visually recognized as display information through c.

The present embodiment is configured as described above. The virtual image recognition information displayed on the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13 is visually recognized in a state where the optical path length is secured longer by the reflection of the plane mirror 14 and the concave mirror 15. The image is displayed in the virtual image viewing area 17a in the area 17, and the display surface 1
The direct visualization information displayed in 3a is transmitted through the transmission area 14b of the plane mirror 14 to the direct visualization area 17b of the visual recognition area 17.
In this case, the entire display area 17 can be effectively used, a dead area can be effectively prevented, and a wide display area can be secured. In addition, various kinds of visual information can be dispersed and arranged in a well-balanced manner, and the display device 10 having high visibility and excellent design balance can be provided.

At this time, visual information such as instruments that may be frequently seen while the automobile is running is stored in the virtual image visual area 1.
By collecting the visual information such as a warning light that is less likely to be seen during traveling on the side 7a and directly collecting the visual information in the visible area 17b, visibility during traveling can be improved.

Further, the configuration is such that the optical path length is secured long by combining the reflecting members of the plane mirror 14 and the concave mirror 15, so that the size of the display device 10 can be reduced, and further, display is performed by utilizing the magnifying action of the concave mirror 15. With this configuration, the size of the liquid crystal display panel 13 can be reduced, and there is an advantage that a small and inexpensive display device 10 can be provided.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, in which the same components as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

That is, in the present embodiment, the portion of the plane mirror 14 corresponding to the transmission area 14b is removed in a notch shape, and the display light of the direct visual information displayed on the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13 is removed. An opening area 14d is formed at a position corresponding to the direct visual information corresponding to the optical path.

In this embodiment, as described above,
The virtual image recognition information displayed on the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13 includes a plane mirror 14 as shown by a dashed line in FIG.
To form a first reflection image by the reflection surface 14c, and further form an enlarged second reflection image of the first reflection image by the concave mirror 15, and reflect the light toward the driver. The person displays the enlarged second reflected image in the virtual image viewing area 17.
It is configured to be visually recognized as display information through a.

On the other hand, the display surface 13a of the liquid crystal display panel 13
Is directly guided to the visual recognition section 17c through the opening area 14d of the plane mirror 14, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
Is configured to be visually recognized as display information through the direct visual recognition unit 17c.

As described above, the present embodiment is configured substantially in the same manner as the first embodiment, and the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

The virtual image viewing area 1 of the viewing area 17
The visual information displayed on the display area 7a or the direct visual area 17b is not limited to the arrangement of each of the above-described embodiments, and may be appropriately increased or decreased in consideration of the visibility, the design, or the required visual information.

In each of the above embodiments, the structure in which the concave mirror 15 is used as the second reflecting member is shown. However, a concave mirror may be used as the first reflecting member. It may be. By forming both reflecting members with concave mirrors, the virtual image visual recognition information can be further enlarged and displayed. Here, the liquid crystal display panel 13 can be made smaller, and a smaller and less expensive display device 10 can be provided. . Further, the magnification can be changed by changing the curvature of the concave mirror 15, and the liquid crystal display panel 13 can be made smaller by increasing the magnification. An apparatus 10 can be provided.

Further, in each embodiment, the plane mirror 14
Although the structure in which the transmissive area 14b and the opening area 14d are provided at the corners of the plane mirror 14 is shown, the structure may be such that they are provided at an intermediate part of the plane mirror 14, You only have to decide.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the structure employed in the automobile is shown, but the invention is not limited to the automobile, but may be another moving body such as an aircraft.

The reflecting member such as the plane mirror 14 or the concave mirror 15 has a structure in which a metal thin film such as aluminum or a dielectric such as SiO ₂ is deposited on a transparent glass plate or a resin (polycarbonate or acrylic) plate. You can use. In this case, the position of the reflection region 14a in the plane mirror 14 can be configured to prevent transmission by increasing the thickness of the reflection film, and the position of the transmission region 14b can be configured to transmit light by forming little reflection film.

The liquid crystal display panel 13 is used as a display means.
Is shown, but other self-luminous display devices such as LEDs and VFDs may be used.

[0044]

As described above, according to the display device in the instrument panel section of the present invention, the visual recognition information
The display device includes virtual image visual recognition information to be visually recognized as a virtual image and direct visual recognition information to directly recognize the virtual image. In the instrument panel portion, display means is disposed with the display surface facing the driver, and display light from the display surface is provided. A first reflecting member that reflects the virtual image visual recognition information to form a reflected image is disposed in the middle of the optical path, and forms a reflected image of the reflected image formed by the first reflecting member, and also transmits the reflected image to the driver side. A second reflection member that reflects toward the display device is disposed, and a position of the first reflection member corresponding to the optical path of the display light of the direct recognition information displayed on the display means corresponds to a direct transmission information transmission region. And a structure in which the position of the first reflection member corresponding to the optical path of the display light of the direct visual information displayed on the display means is the opening area. Menpane Provide a display device that can effectively secure a wide display area in the section, reduce design constraints when displaying various information, and can distribute and arrange various information in a well-balanced manner, have high visibility, and have excellent design balance. There is an advantage that you can.

Further, since a long optical path length is ensured by combining a plurality of reflecting members, the display device can be downsized, and there is an advantage that a small and inexpensive display device can be provided.

Further, if the first reflecting member and / or the second reflecting member has a concave mirror structure,
By utilizing the magnifying action of the concave mirror, there is an advantage that the size of the display means can be reduced, and a smaller and less expensive display device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of a main part showing the attached state.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a visual recognition area in the instrument panel unit.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory side view of a relevant part showing an attached state in a comparative example.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a viewing area in the instrument panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 display device 11 instrument panel section 12 housing 13 liquid crystal display panel 13a display surface 14 plane mirror 14a reflection region 14b transmission region 14c reflection surface 14d opening region 15 concave mirror 15a reflection surface 17 viewing area 17a virtual image viewing area 17b direct viewing area 17c direct Viewing part 17d Opaque part

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yozo Nishiura 1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi Harness Research Institute, Inc.

Claims (4)

[Claims] A display unit for displaying visual recognition information; and a reflecting member for reflecting display light from a display surface of the display unit.
In a display device in an instrument panel unit that displays the visual recognition information by changing an optical path length from the display unit to a driver by reflection of the display light by a reflection member, the visual recognition information is a virtual image visually recognized as a virtual image. Information and direct visual recognition information for direct visual recognition, wherein the display means is arranged in the instrument panel portion with the display surface facing the driver, and an optical path of display light from the display surface. A first reflecting member is disposed on the way to reflect the virtual image visual recognition information to form a reflection image thereof, and forms a reflection image of the reflection image formed by the first reflection member and directs the reflection image toward the driver. A second reflection member for reflecting the direct visual information, the position corresponding to the direct visual information of the first reflective member corresponding to the optical path of the display light of the direct visual information displayed on the display means; The display device in the instrument panel portion, characterized in that formed by a permeable transmissive region. 2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first reflection member and / or the second reflection member comprises a concave mirror. 3. A display comprising: display means for displaying visual recognition information; and a reflecting member for reflecting display light from a display surface of the display means.
In a display device in an instrument panel unit that displays the visual recognition information by changing an optical path length from the display unit to a driver by reflection of the display light by a reflection member, the visual recognition information is a virtual image visually recognized as a virtual image. Information and direct visual recognition information for direct visual recognition, wherein the display means is arranged in the instrument panel portion with the display surface facing the driver, and an optical path of display light from the display surface. A first reflecting member is disposed on the way to reflect the virtual image visual recognition information to form a reflection image thereof, and forms a reflection image of the reflection image formed by the first reflection member and directs the reflection image toward the driver. A second reflection member for reflecting the direct visual information, the position corresponding to the direct visual information of the first reflective member corresponding to the optical path of the display light of the direct visual information displayed on the display means; The display device in the instrument panel portion, characterized in that formed by the opening area. 4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the first reflection member and / or the second reflection member comprises a concave mirror.