KR20190042317A - Head-up display device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a head-up display apparatus. Specifically, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the head-up display apparatus comprises: an image generating device emitting image light for forming a virtual image; and a combiner providing a first surface facing a windshield of a vehicle and a second surface positioned opposite to the first surface and facing an eye box, and configured to allow the image light incident to the first surface to be refracted toward the eye box and irradiated through the second surface.

Description

[0001] HEAD-UP DISPLAY DEVICE [0002]

The present invention relates to a head-up display device.

The head-up display device can be divided into a direct mode (synthesized in a wind shield) and a combiner (synthesized in a windshield and a star chain combiner, according to the method in which the front view and the image generated in the picture generation unit (PGU) ), And the like. Direct head-up display devices are mainly installed in luxury cars, and com- biner-type head-up display devices are mainly installed in small- and medium-sized cars.

However, the direct head-up display device has a problem that the distortion of the image generated in the windshield must be corrected in the mirror of the head-up display device optical system. Further, since the shape of the windshield of the vehicle differs depending on the type of vehicle, it is troublesome that the optical system must be designed and manufactured in accordance with each vehicle type. In addition, since the distance between the driver's eye box and the windshield and the head-up display device mirror is considerably longer than about 1 m, direct view increases the mirror size There is a problem that space constraints are imposed.

On the other hand, when the head-up display device is configured as a combiner, the combiner must protrude above the vehicle's dashboard. In this case, the conventional combiner-type combiner is advantageous in that it is relatively close to the PGU and is located far away from the driver, because the front view is transmitted while reflecting the image of the PGU. However, in general, the windshield of the vehicle tilts at a large slope of about 60 degrees relative to the vertical plane, which limits the space that the combiner can protrude, and the larger the distance from the driver, the greater the restriction. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to enlarge the FOV due to limitations of the combiner protrusion.

Embodiments of the present invention have been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and provide a head-up display device in which a combiner can be configured to a large size and a viewing angle can be enlarged to greatly improve visibility.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus that emits image light for forming a virtual image; And a second surface facing the windshield of the vehicle, and a second surface opposite to the first surface and facing the eye box, wherein the image light incident on the first surface side is refracted toward the eye box And a combiner configured to be able to emit light through the first surface and to be emitted through the second surface.

The combiner may further include a refracting portion configured to refract the image light incident on the first surface and transmit the refracted light downward, the refracting portion being arranged on at least one of the first surface and the second surface, A display device may be provided.

The refracting portion may be a fine prism formed on the first surface, the fine prism may include a first inclined surface inclined with respect to the first surface at a first internal angle; And a second inclined surface inclined at a second internal angle with respect to the first surface and provided at an upper side of the first inclined surface, wherein the second internal angle is formed smaller than the first internal angle .

Also, the combiner is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to a first normal line perpendicular to the paper so that the upper portion faces the eye box side, and the image from the second surface of the combiner to the eye box It is possible to provide a head-up display device in which the maximum emission angle of light satisfies the following relational expression (1).

[Relation 1]

(In the above relational expression 1, θ _{r _ max1} is a first maximum emission angle for a second normal line perpendicular to the second surface image of light proceeding to the child boxes or emitted from the combiner, θ _{FOV_vercical} the FOV (Field of view, θ _LD is an angle formed by a horizontal line extending from the eye box and an imaginary line extending from the eye box E and passing through the center of the FOV, and θ _S is a vertical angle of the combiner Inclination angle)

Further, the second interior angle may be provided with a head-up display apparatus satisfying the following relational expression (2).

 [Relation 2]

(Where, in the above relational expression 2,? _I2 is the second internal angle of the micro prisms,? _C is the critical angle of the combiner, and n is the refractive index of the combiner)

Also, the refracting portion may be a micro prism formed on the second surface, the micro prism may include a third inclined surface inclined to a third internal angle with respect to the second surface; And a fourth inclined surface inclined by a fourth cabinet angle with respect to the second surface and provided below the third inclined surface, wherein the fourth cabinet angle is smaller than the third cabinet angle, .

Also, the combiner is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to a first normal line perpendicular to the paper so that the upper portion faces the eye box side, and the image from the second surface of the combiner to the eye box A head-up display apparatus in which the maximum emission angle of light satisfies the following relational expression 4 can be provided.

[Relation 4]

(In the equation 4, θ _{r _ max2} is a second maximum emission angle for a third normal line perpendicular to the said third inclined surface image of light proceeding to the child boxes or emitted from the combiner, θ _{FOV _vertical} is the field of view Θ _LD is the angle between the horizontal line extending from the eye box and the center of the visual field, and θ _S is the inclination angle of the combiner)

Further, the fourth cabinet _{_max1} θ _r of equation 6 below, and satisfies the relational expression 6 below can be provided by the head-up display device which satisfies the relational expression 1.

[Relation 6]

[Relation 1]

(In the above relational expression 6 _{,? I4} is the fourth internal angle of the fine prism, and? _C is the critical angle of the combiner)

The head-up display device may further include a plurality of refracting portions extending in the transverse direction on the first surface or the second surface, and the plurality of refracting portions are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction .

Further, the combiner is configured to increase the amount of image light that is transmitted through the refracting portion as the ratio of the distance between the adjacent refracting portions to the length in the longitudinal direction of the refracting portion decreases, .

According to the embodiments of the present invention, the combiner of the head-up display device can be configured to be large and the viewing angle can be enlarged, thereby greatly improving the visibility of the head-up display device.

Fig. 1 conceptually shows a head-up display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view conceptually showing that image light of the head-up display apparatus of FIG. 1 and light outside the wind shield enter.
3 is a side view conceptually showing that an image light is refracted by a combiner and incident on an eye box according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a side view of the refracting portion of the combiner of Fig.
5 is a side view conceptually showing that an image light is refracted in a combiner and incident on an eye box according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a side view of the refracting portion of the combiner of FIG.
7 is a graph showing the relationship between the internal angle of the refracting portion and the inclination angle of the combiner according to the first embodiment and the relationship between the internal angle of the refracting portion and the inclination angle of the combiner according to the second embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In this specification, the expressions such as the upper side, the lower side, the left side, and the right side are described based on the view of the head-up display device at the position of the eye box, The same is applied to the upper side and the lower side in Fig.

In addition, light may propagate and enter directly from one component to another in the course of incident light, but other components may be present in the middle, so that light may be refracted, reflected, or transmitted through the process It should be understood.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the head-up display device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. The head-up display device 10 may be provided between the windshield W and the eye box E, and the windshield W may be a windshield installed in a front portion of an automobile or the like. Here, the eye box E is defined as an area indicating a permissible range of the viewpoint position of the user, and may have a predetermined range. The head-up display device 10 forms a virtual image through the image light, and the user can obtain information necessary for operation through the virtual image of the head-up display device 10. The virtual image generated by the image light may include characters, figures, symbols, and the like, and may be embodied in various colors. Hereinafter, the configuration of the head-up display device 10 will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 2 to 4. Fig.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the head-up display device 10 includes an image generating device 100 that emits image light in a predetermined direction; And a combiner 200 that transmits and refracts the image light.

The image generating apparatus 100 may be configured to emit image light in a predetermined direction to form a virtual image that the user can see. The image generating apparatus 100 may be implemented by, for example, an LCD, a DLP, an LCoS, a Scanning projector, or the like. In addition, the image generating device 100 may include a plurality of regions capable of individually emitting image light. The image generating apparatus 100 may be configured so as not to project the image light onto the windshield W. [ The image generating apparatus 100 can directly irradiate the generated image light to the combiner 200 and the image generating apparatus 100 is disposed between the wind shield W and the combiner 200 Can emit image light toward the combiner (200). However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited thereto.

In order to compensate the image light refracted by the combiner 200, the image generating apparatus 100 may enlarge or reduce the image light according to a direction in which the combiner 200 refracts the image light, have. For example, when the combiner 200 is configured to refract the image light incident from below, the image generating apparatus 100 may enlarge and emit the image light along the up and down directions. The image represented by the image light is enlarged in the vertical direction when the image light is emitted from the image generating apparatus 100. Since the image represented by the image light is reduced in the vertical direction while being transmitted through the combiner 200 as it is refracted downward, A virtual image can be seen in which the magnification in the vertical direction is compensated.

The combiner 200 may be configured to refract and transmit the image light generated in the image generating apparatus 100. The combiner 200 includes a first surface 210 facing the windshield W; A second side 220 opposite the first side 210; And a refracting portion 230 provided on the first surface 210 to refract the image light. In other words, the combiner 200 can be arranged such that the first side 210 faces the windshield W and the second side 220 faces the eye box E. The combiner 200 may have a predetermined refractive index n and a critical angle _c . The combiner 200 may be formed of polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or the like.

The upper side of the combiner 200 faces the eye box E at a predetermined angle (? _S inclination angle? _S ) with respect to the normal Y perpendicular to the paper surface when viewed from the side (FIGS. 3 and 4) As shown in FIG. In addition, the combiner 200 can be configured so that the transmitted light is refracted in the up-and-down direction. For this, the refracting portion 230 may extend in a direction deviating from the vertical direction. For example, the refraction portion 230 may extend in the left-right direction so as to be perpendicular to the direction in which the light is refracted.

The refracting portion 230 may be implemented in a micro prism manner arranged on the first surface 210. In this case, the refracting portion 230 includes a first inclined surface 231 inclined with respect to the first surface 210 at a first internal angle? _I1 ; And a second inclined surface 232 inclined with respect to the first surface 210 at a second internal angle? _I2 . The first internal angle may be greater than the second internal angle and less than 90 degrees. Therefore, the second inclined surface 232 may be longer than the first inclined surface 231 and may be disposed above the first inclined surface 231 when viewed from the side. The first inclined plane 231 and the second inclined plane 232 can meet with each other while being extended from the first surface 210 to the opposite side of the eye box E. [ The distance between the first inclined surface 231 and the second inclined surface 232 on the first surface 210 can be defined as a first bottom distance b1. The height h of the refracting portion 230 may be determined by the first interior angle? _I1 , the second interior angle? _I2 , and the first floor distance b1. The sheet-like portion between the first surface 210 and the second surface 220 may be defined as a combiner body 201 and the refracting portion 230 may be defined by the same material as the combiner body 201 And may be integrally formed.

On the other hand, the area occupied by the virtual image formed by the image generating apparatus 100 when viewed from the eye box E can be defined as FOV. In addition, the angle in the longitudinal direction between the upper end and the lower end of the FOV when viewed from the eye box E can be defined as a vertical direction angle of the FOV ( _{FOV_vercical} ). An imaginary line H extending horizontally from the eye box E and an imaginary line extending from the eye box E and passing through the center of the FOV are defined as a visual field central angle? _LD . The angle formed between the image light that is refracted by the combiner 200 and emitted from the image light 200 and the normal line P1 or P2 perpendicular to the surface of the combiner 200 from which the image light is emitted is an exit angle Angle). In this embodiment, an angle formed between the image light emitted from the combiner 200 and the normal line P1 perpendicular to the second surface 220 corresponds to an emission angle. The first maximum emission angle? _{R_max1} , which is the maximum value of the emission angle when the refracting portion 230 is provided on the first surface 210, can be defined by the following relational expression 1.

[Relation 1]

Further, the second internal angle? _I2 of the microprism can be defined by the following relational expression (2).

[Relation 2]

In the above relational expression 2,? _I2 is the second internal angle of the _microprism and n is the refractive index of the combiner. Further, the upper limit of the second internal angle of the microprism in Relation 2 can be derived from the following Snell's law.

The refracting portions 230 may be provided on the first surface 210 in a plurality of ways. The first interval i1 may be larger than the first bottom distance b1 when the distance between the second inclined surfaces 231 of adjacent refracting portions is a first distance i1. In other words, the plurality of refracting portions 230 may be arranged in parallel to each other along the first surface 210 in the vertical direction, and the distance d between the refracting portions 230 may be equal to or smaller than the first distance i1. And the first bottom distance b1. The forward view may pass through a plurality of refracting portions 230 and be incident on the eye box E without refraction. In other words, a part of the image light incident on the combiner 200 passes through the refracting part 230 to transmit the refracted light, and the other part of the image light passes through the refracting part 230 to transmit the non-refracting light. If the first floor distance b1, the condition of the first interior angle and the second interior angle are the same, the amount of image light that is transmitted through the refraction increases as the ratio of the separation distance d to the first interval i1 decreases.

On the other hand, when the total brightness of the light transmitted through the combiner 200 is 100%, the brightness I ₁ of the forward view may be 50% or more and 80% or less, The brightness (I ₂ ) of the first image light incident on the light source E may be 20% or more and 50% or less.

Referring to FIG. 7, the second internal angle? _I2 of the refracting portion 230 may be made smaller as the combiner tilt angle? _S becomes smaller, that is, closer to the perpendicular to the horizontal line. In addition, the combiner inclination angle (θ _S) values in the same conditions, the greater the vertical direction of the field plus one-half the central angle field of view (θ _LD) of each (θ _{FOV_vercical)} value, a second cabinet (θ _i2) . In addition, the second cabinet (θ _i2) lower the greater the under the same conditions, obtained by adding one-half the central angle field of view (θ _LD) in the vertical direction every (θ _{_ vercical FOV)} of the field value, combiners angle of inclination (θ _S ).

The head-up display device 10 according to the present embodiment has the above-described structure, so that it can be disposed closer to the eye box E side than the conventional mirror-type combiner method. Thus, in determining the size and FOV of the combiner 200, it may be more free from space constraints, and the combiner 200 and the FOV may be larger.

In addition to this configuration, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the refracting portion 240 may be provided on the second surface 220. Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described mainly in terms of differences as compared with the first embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, and the same description and reference numerals will be used for the above-described embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the refracting portion 240 may be implemented in a micro prism manner arranged on the second surface 220. In this case, the refracting portion 240 includes a third inclined surface 241 inclined with respect to the second surface 220 at a third internal angle? _I3 ; And a fourth inclined surface 242 inclined to a fourth interior angle? _I4 with respect to the second surface 220. [ The third internal angle? _I3 may be larger than the fourth internal angle? _I4 and smaller than 90 占. Therefore, the fourth inclined surface 242 may be longer than the third inclined surface 241 and may be disposed above the third inclined surface 241 when viewed from the side. The third inclined plane 241 and the fourth inclined plane 242 may extend from the second plane 220 toward the eye box E and meet with each other. On the other hand, when viewed from the side, the distance between the third inclined plane 241 and the fourth inclined plane 242 on the second plane 220 can be defined as the second floor distance b2. In this case, the height h of the refracting portion 240 can be determined by the third interior angle? _I3 , the fourth interior angle? _I4 , and the second floor distance b2.

On the other hand, when the refracting portion 240 is provided on the second surface 220, the second maximum emission angle? _{R_max2} , which is the maximum value of the emission angle, can be defined by the following Equation 3. In this embodiment, the angle formed by the image light emitted from the combiner 200 and the normal P2 perpendicular to the fourth inclined surface 240 of the refracting portion 240 corresponds to the exit angle.

[Relation 3]

In addition, by substituting the above-described relation 1 into the above-mentioned formula 3, the following formula 4 can be derived.

[Relation 4]

On the other hand, from the Snell's law, similar to the above-described relational expression 2, relational expression 5 can be established for the fourth internal angle? _I4 of the _microprism .

[Equation 5]

In summary for the above-mentioned equation 5 to the fourth cabinet (θ _i4), the fourth cabinet, and the upper limit is the induction of (θ _i4), the fourth cabinet, so the lower limit of (θ _i4) is 10 °, the fourth cabinet (θ _i4 ) Can be defined by the following relational expression (6).

 [Relation 6]

Before according to the already-described equation 1, the vertical angle (θ _{FOV _ vercical)} of the field of vision, visual field center angle (θ _LD), and combiners angle of inclination (θ _S) a first maximum emission angle (θ _{r _ max1)} from the value The upper limit value of the fourth internal angle? _I4 in the above relational expression 6 can be obtained from the vertical direction angle? _{FOV_vercical} of the visual field, the visual field angle? _LD , and the inclination angle? _{S of the} combiner have.

The refracting portions 240 may be provided on the second surface 220 in a plurality of ways. When the distance between the fourth inclined surfaces 242 of the adjacent refracting portions is a second distance i2, the second distance i2 may be larger than the second bottom distance b2. In other words, the plurality of refracting parts 240 may be arranged in parallel to each other along the second surface 220 in the vertical direction, and the distance d between the refracting parts 240 may be equal to or less than the second distance i2. And the second floor distance b2. The forward view may pass through the plurality of refracting parts 240 and may enter the eye box E without refraction. In other words, a part of the image light incident on the combiner 200 passes through the refracting part 240 to transmit the refracted light, while the other part passes through the refracting part 240 to transmit the non-refracting light. If the conditions of the second floor distance b2, the third interior angle _i3 and the fourth interior angle _i4 are the same, as the ratio of the separation distance d to the second interval i2 decreases, The amount of image light increases.

7, the fourth internal angle? _I4 of the refracting portion 240 may be smaller as the combiner tilting angle? _S is reduced, that is, closer to the perpendicular to the horizontal line. In addition, the combiner inclination angle (θ _S) value is in the same condition, the greater the value obtained by adding one-half the central angle field of view (θ _LD) in the vertical direction every (θ _{_ vercical FOV)} of the field of view, the fourth cabinet (θ _i4 . In addition, the cabinet 4 (θ _i4) in the same conditions, the greater the value obtained by adding one-half the central angle field of view (θ _LD) in the vertical direction every (θ _{_ vercical FOV)} of the field of view, combiners inclination angle (θ _S ).

On the other hand, the first and second embodiments as a comparison in the vertical direction of the field plus one-half the central angle field of view (θ _LD) of each (θ _{FOV _vercical)} value and, combiners inclination angle (θ _S) in this condition does not change, the second embodiment is greater fourth cabinet (θ _i4) is more than twice the second cabinet (θ _i2) according to the first embodiment according to the example. Further, the half center angle and field of view, the value obtained by adding a (θ _LD) unchanged, a second cabinet (θ _i2) and the fourth cabinet (θ _i4) the same value in the vertical direction every (θ _{_ vercical FOV)} of the field of view The second internal angle θ _i2 according to the first embodiment may have a value of the combiner tilt angle θ _S that is significantly lower than the fourth internal angle θ _i4 according to the second embodiment.

Meanwhile, although the fine prism is described as an example of the refracting portion 230 in the above embodiment, the idea of the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Therefore, it is also possible that the refraction section 230 is composed of a Fresnel lens and a holographic optical element (HOE).

In addition, although the image generating apparatus 100 according to the above embodiments has shown that the image light is directly emitted to the combiner 200, the idea of the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Accordingly, the head-up display apparatus 10 of the present invention can be configured such that the image light of the image generating apparatus 100 is incident on the combiner 200 via at least one lens and / or a mirror.

In the above embodiments, the refracting portion 230 is provided on the first surface 210 or the second surface 220. However, the present invention is not limited to this, May be provided on both the first surface 210 and the second surface 220.

Although the head-up display device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above as a specific embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Should be interpreted as having. Skilled artisans may implement a pattern of features that are not described in a combinatorial and / or permutational manner with the disclosed embodiments, but this is not to depart from the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be readily made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

W: Windshield E: Eye Box (E)
10: Head-up display device 100: Image generating device
200: Combiner 210: first side
220: second side 230:
231: first inclined plane 232: second inclined plane
233: third inclined plane 234: fourth inclined plane

Claims (10)

An image generating device for emitting image light for forming a virtual image; And
A first surface opposed to the windshield of the vehicle and a second surface opposed to the first surface and opposed to the eye box are provided, and the image light incident on the first surface side is refracted toward the eye box And a combiner configured to be able to exit through the second surface. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combiner is configured to allow the image light incident on the first surface to be refracted downward and transmitted,
And a refraction portion arranged on at least one of the first surface and the second surface. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the refracting portion is a fine prism formed on the first surface,
The micro-
A first inclined surface inclined at a first internal angle with respect to the first surface; And
And a second inclined surface inclined at a second internal angle with respect to the first surface and provided above the first inclined surface,
Wherein the second internal angle is smaller than the first internal angle. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the combiner is inclined at a predetermined combiner tilt angle with respect to a first normal normal to the paper so that an upper portion of the combiner faces the eye box and a maximum value of the image light traveling from the second surface of the combiner to the eye box And the exit angle satisfies the following relational expression (1).
[Relation 1]

(In the above relational expression 1, θ _{r _ max1} is a first maximum emission angle for a second normal line perpendicular to the second surface image of light proceeding to the child boxes or emitted from the combiner, θ _{FOV_vercical} the FOV (Field of view, θ _LD is an angle formed by a horizontal line extending from the eye box and an imaginary line extending from the eye box E and passing through the center of the FOV, and θ _S is a vertical angle of the combiner Inclination angle) 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the second internal angle satisfies the following relational expression (2).
[Relation 2]

(Where, in the above relational expression 2,? _I2 is the second internal angle of the micro prisms,? _C is the critical angle of the combiner, and n is the refractive index of the combiner) 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the refracting portion is a fine prism formed on the second surface,
The micro-
A third inclined surface inclined to a third internal angle with respect to the second surface; And
And a fourth inclined surface inclined by a fourth internal angle with respect to the second surface and provided below the third inclined surface,
Wherein the fourth internal angle is smaller than the third internal angle. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the combiner is inclined at a predetermined combiner tilt angle with respect to a first normal normal to the paper so that an upper portion of the combiner faces the eye box and a maximum value of the image light traveling from the second surface of the combiner to the eye box And the exit angle satisfies the following relational expression (4).
[Relation 4]

(In the equation 4, θ _{r _ max2} is a second maximum emission angle for a third normal line perpendicular to the said third inclined surface image of light proceeding to the child boxes or emitted from the combiner, θ _{FOV _vertical} is the field of view Θ _LD is the angle between the horizontal line extending from the eye box and the center of the visual field, and θ _S is the inclination angle of the combiner) 8. The method of claim 7,
The fourth of the cabinet in relation to satisfy the relation of 6, and to 6 θ _{r _ max1} is a head-up display device which satisfies the relational expression 1.
[Relation 6]

[Relation 1]

(In the above relational expression 6 _{,? I4} is the fourth internal angle of the fine prism, and? _C is the critical angle of the combiner) 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the refracting portion is formed on the first surface or the second surface in the lateral direction,
And the plurality of refracting portions are arranged at a predetermined distance apart in the longitudinal direction. 10. The method of claim 9,
The combiner includes:
And the amount of image light transmitted through the refracting portion increases as the ratio of the distance between the adjacent refracting portions with respect to the length in the longitudinal direction of the refracting portion decreases.

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