Projection device and head-up display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12140755-B2
Application number	US-202318234188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2023
Priority date	May 30, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

A projection device includes: a plurality of light sources arranged in a first direction; a spatial modulation element that modulates incident light into image information and emits the image information; a lens that changes an optical path of light emitted from each of the plurality of light sources such that the light emitted from each light source reaches substantially the same region of an incident surface of the spatial modulation element; and a first reflective optical member that deflects the light emitted from the lens toward the spatial modulation element, the first reflective optical member having a shape that reflects light emitted from the lens so as to be incident on an arbitrary point on the incident surface of the spatial modulation element at a predetermined reference incident angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projection device mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of light sources arranged in a first direction;
a display element in which light from the light source incident and emits image information;
a lens that guides the optical path of light emitted from each of a plurality of light sources in the direction of the incident plane of the display element; and
a first reflective optical member that deflects the light emitted from the lens toward the display element,
wherein the first reflective optical member has a shape that deflects light emitted from the lens so as to be incident on an arbitrary point on the incident surface of the display element at a predetermined reference incident angle.

2. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first reflective optical member has a free-form surface shape.

3. The projection device according to claim 2 , wherein a first curvature in a first direction at a first point of the first reflective optical member is different than a second curvature in a second direction different from the first direction at the first point of the first reflective optical member.

4. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first reflective optical member reflects the light emitted from a plurality of light sources.

5. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are arranged such that a normal line of an emission surface intersects a normal line of the display element.

6. The projection device according to claim 5 , wherein an angle of the normal line of the emission surface and the normal line of the display element is not less than 10 degrees nor more than 90 degrees.

7. The projection device according to claim 5 , wherein the first direction is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the display element.

8. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the lens has a convex surface at least as the emission surface.

9. The projection device according to claim 8 , wherein the emission surface of the lens has a larger curvature in a second direction than a curvature in the first direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction.

10. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are arranged in a matrix in the first direction and the second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

11. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the lens changes the optical path of light emitted from each of the plurality of light sources such that the light emitted from each light source reaches substantially the same region of an incident surface of the display element.

12. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the lens is composed of a plurality of lenses.

13. The projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the lens is made from resin.

14. A head-up display comprising:
the projection device according to claim 1 ; and
a second reflective optical member for projecting light emitted from the display element onto a reflective member provided on the vehicle.

15. The head-up display according to claim 14 further comprising:
a casing that accommodates the projection device and the second reflective optical member and has an opening portion for emitting projecting light reflected by the second mirror,
wherein a normal line of the opening portion and a third direction in which the light source emits light intersect.

Assignees

• Panasonic Automotive Systems Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hara Hiroki
• Asai Yosuke
• Sugiyama Keiji
• Takase Yuji

Classifications

• B60K35/233

  controlling the size or position in display areas of virtual images depending on the condition of the vehicle or the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/231

  characterised by their arrangement or structure for integration into vehicles · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• H04N9/3141

  Constructional details thereof (details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0118

  comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility · CPC title