Head-up display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10558039-B2
Application number	US-201615561383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2016
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A head-up display apparatus mounted on a moving body. The head-up display apparatus projects an image on a projecting portion. The head-up display apparatus includes a light source portion, an imaging element, a cold mirror, and a phase shifter. The light source portion emits a source light. The imaging element generates the image and outputs the light of the image. The light of the image has a predetermined polarization state. The cold mirror reflects the light of the image toward the projecting portion. In the cold mirror, an optical multilayer film is disposed on a translucent base member, and the light of the image obliquely enters the cold mirror along a plane of incidence of the cold mirror. The phase shifter converts the light of the image into an S wave. The phase shifter is disposed on an optical path between the imaging element and the cold mirror.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A head-up display apparatus mounted on a moving body, wherein the head-up display apparatus projects an image on a projecting portion as a virtual image, and the virtual image is recognized by an occupant when a light of the image is reflected on the projecting portion,
the head-up display apparatus comprising:
a light source portion emitting a source light;
an imaging element generating the image when the source light enters the imaging element and outputting the light of the image, the light of the image having a predetermined polarization state;
a cold mirror reflecting the light of the image toward the projecting portion, wherein an optical multilayer film is disposed on a translucent base member in the cold mirror, and the light of the image obliquely enters the cold mirror along a plane of incidence;
a phase shifter converting the light of the image into a linear polarization of an S wave, wherein: the phase shifter is disposed on an optical path between the imaging element and the cold mirror; the light of the image outputted from the phase shifter enters the cold mirror; and, in the S wave, a magnetic field vector is arranged along the plane of incidence; and
a polarizing element having a light shield axis disposed along the plane of incidence and configured to shield a P wave component of the light of the image, wherein the polarizing element is disposed on the optical path between the phase shifter and the cold mirror.

2. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the phase shifter and the polarizing element has a film shape, and is supported by a same translucent substrate.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the phase shifter is provided by a phase difference plate that has a plate shape and is made of uniaxial crystal, and
the polarizing element has a film shape and is supported by the phase shifter.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
for the light of the image which has a wavelength range of 400 nm to 700 nm, the cold mirror with the optical multilayer film has a reflectance of equal to or greater than 95 percent.

5. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical multilayer film is provided by at least two optical thin films stacked in a normal direction of a surface of the cold mirror and the at least two optical thin films are made of optical materials having different complex index of refractions from one another.

6. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the phase shifter converts the light of the image into only the linear polarization of the S wave.

7. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the polarizing element is further configured to block a part of a retrograde light from outside the moving body and reflected by the cold mirror from reaching the imaging element.

8. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the retrograde light is sunlight.

9. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a translucent dust cover disposed between the projection portion and the cold mirror, the translucent dust cover configured to allow the light of the image in the S wave from the cold mirror to the projection portion to pass while blocking the light of the image in the P wave.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Liu Heng
• Yamaguchi Masayuki

Classifications

• G02B27/286

  for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another (G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34) · CPC title

• G02B27/0101 Primary

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0116

  comprising devices for correcting chromatic aberration · CPC title

• G02B5/0816

  Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers (G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0145

  creating an intermediate image · CPC title