Vehicle headup display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766452-B2
Application number	US-201414916194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle head-up display device includes a stepping motor that outputs a rotation to adjust an optical position of a reflecting mirror, a zero detection unit that detects a zero position by the rotation of the stepping motor in a return-to-zero direction, an initial adjustment unit that adjusts the optical position to an initial position based on the zero position by the rotation of the stepping motor in an away-from-zero direction, and a user adjustment unit that, after the adjustment of the initial position, adjusts the optical position to a command position based on the zero position responsive to a command from the vehicle user. The zero detection unit sets a higher rotation speed of the stepping motor than the user adjustment unit, and sets a lower output torque than the user adjustment unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle head-up display device comprising:
a projector that projects a display light image;
an optical system that includes a rotatable reflecting mirror to reflect the display image light projected from the projector, and displays as a virtual image the display light image reflected from the reflecting mirror;
a stepping motor that outputs a rotation to adjust an optical position of the reflecting mirror;
a speed reducer gear mechanism that includes a plurality of gears to reduce a speed of the rotation, which is outputted from the stepping motor and transmitted to the reflecting mirror; and
a control system that controls the rotation of the stepping motor,
wherein the vehicle head-up display device sets a display range and a reset range as mutually-continuous ranges of adjusting the optical position, the display range is a range in which the virtual image is viewable to a vehicle user, and the reset range is a range in which the vehicle user is inhibited from viewing the virtual image,
the vehicle head-up display device further comprising
a stopper mechanism that holds the optical position at a zero position at an end of the reset range that is opposite the display range;
wherein the control system includes:
a zero detection unit that detects the zero position by causing the stepping motor to output the rotation in a return-to-zero direction;
an initial adjustment unit that, after the zero position is detected, adjusts the optical position to an initial position based on the zero position within the display range by causing the stepping motor to output the rotation in an away-from-zero direction, which is a direction opposite the return-to-zero direction; and
a user adjustment unit that, after the adjustment of the initial position, adjusts the optical position to a command position based on the zero position within the display range by causing the stepping motor to output the rotation responsive to a command from the vehicle user,

wherein the zero detection unit sets the rotation speed of the stepping motor to a higher value than the user adjustment unit, and the zero detection unit sets an output torque to a lower value than the user adjustment unit; and
wherein the initial adjustment unit sets the rotation speed of the stepping motor to a higher value than the user adjustment unit.

2. The vehicle head-up display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the zero detection unit changes an electrical angle of a drive signal, which is to be applied to the stepping motor, by a value that corresponds to the whole adjustment range of the optical position.

3. The vehicle head-up display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the zero detection unit executes control to change the electrical angle of the drive signal, which is to be applied to the stepping motor, at angle steps smaller than intervals of electrical stability points in the stepping motor.

4. The vehicle head-up display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the zero detection unit and the initial adjustment unit execute control to change the electrical angle of the drive signal, which is to be applied to the stepping motor, at control intervals shorter than the user adjustment unit.

5. The vehicle head-up display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the zero detection unit performs pulse-width modulation of the drive signal, which is to be applied to the stepping motor, at an on-duty ratio smaller than the user adjustment unit.

6. The vehicle head-up display device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the control system further includes a standby adjustment unit that adjusts the optical position to a standby position based on the zero position within the reset range by causing the stepping motor to output the rotation in the return-to-zero direction in response to the turning off of an engine switch of the vehicle; and
the zero detection unit detects the zero position in response to the turning on of the engine switch.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Sasaki Tatsuya

Classifications

• B60K35/235

  with means for detecting the driver's gaze direction or eye points · CPC title

• B60R1/00

  Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles · CPC title

• H02P8/22

  Control of step size; Intermediate stepping, e.g. microstepping · CPC title

• G02B27/01 Primary

  Head-up displays · CPC title

• G02B26/0816

  by means of one or more reflecting elements · CPC title