Misuse detection for display combiner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9817234-B2
Application number	US-201514928054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A head-up display positioning device includes a combiner configured to reflect a generated image to create a virtual image for viewing by an occupant of a vehicle. A housing is provided for stowing the combiner. A mechanism includes a motor and is configured to the move the combiner between a stowed position wherein the combiner is located fully within the housing and a display position wherein the combiner is at least partially located outside of the housing and viewable by the occupant. A cover is configured to close over the housing when the combiner is in the stowed position, and the cover is movable to allow the combiner to move into the display position. The mechanism is configured to automatically stow the combiner under certain conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-up display positioning device comprising:
a combiner configured to reflect a generated image to create a virtual image for viewing by an occupant of a vehicle;
a housing configured to selectively stow the combiner;
a mechanism including a motor configured to move the combiner between a stowed position wherein the combiner is located fully within the housing and a display position wherein the combiner is at least partially located outside of the housing and viewable by the occupant;
a cover configured to close over the housing when the combiner is in the stowed position, the cover being movable to allow the combiner to move into the display position,
wherein the mechanism is configured to automatically stow the combiner in the stowed position within the housing and close the cover when a predetermined external force is applied to the combiner;
a misuse arm configured to be moved when the predetermined external force is applied to the combiner
wherein, the cover and the combiner are movable simultaneously; and
wherein the mechanism comprises a main shaft and the motor is configured to rotate the main shaft in both a forward direction and an opposite backward direction, the mechanism being further configured to move the combiner into an open position between the display position and the stowed position;
the head-up display device further comprising a misuse arm coupled to the main shaft, the mechanism comprising a cover driving gear fixed to the main shaft, and the mechanism further comprising a combiner driving gear fixed to the main shaft, the misuse arm being configured to be moved when the predetermined external force is applied to the combiner; and
wherein the head-up display device further comprise a misuse button configured to activate a controller to cause the mechanism to automatically stow the combiner in the stowed position within the housing and close the cover responsive to actuation of the misuse button.

2. The head-up display positioning device of claim 1 , the mechanism further comprising a fine adjustment cam fixed to a misuse pin, the fine adjustment cam being configured to be displaced when the predetermined force is applied to the combiner, the misuse arm being configured to be moved by the misuse pin, the misuse arm being configured to engage the misuse button.

3. The head-up display positioning device of claim 2 , further comprising a printed circuit board, the misuse button being mounted on the printed circuit board.

4. The head-up display positioning device of claim 2 , further comprising a misuse spring configured to bias the misuse lever away from the misuse button.

5. The head-up display positioning device of claim 4 , the misuse pin being independently movable with respect to the main shaft.

6. The head-up display positioning device of claim 5 , the mechanism further comprising a cover rotation shaft supported by an extension of the housing, the mechanism further comprising at least one cover lever connected to the cover rotation shaft at a first end of the cover lever, the cover lever rotatably connected to the cover at a second end of the cover lever, the cover rotation shaft, the main shaft, and the misuse pin being parallel to each other.

7. The head-up display positioning device of claim 6 , the mechanism further comprising a combiner driven gear coupled to the combiner and having a set of combiner driven gear teeth, the mechanism further comprising a combiner driving gear fixedly attached to the main shaft and having a set of combiner driving gear teeth, the combiner driven gear teeth being selectively in meshing engagement with the combiner driving gear teeth.

8. The head-up display positioning device of claim 7 , the cover lever having a set of cover driven gear teeth disposed at the first end of the cover lever, the mechanism further comprising a cover driving gear fixedly attached to the main shaft and having a set of cover driving gear teeth, the cover driven gear teeth being selectively in meshing engagement with the cover driving gear teeth.

9. The head-up display positioning device of claim 8 , the mechanism further comprising a fine adjustment pin extending from the combiner driven gear, the fine adjustment cam defining a slot having a non-uniform radius, the fine adjustment pin configured to slide along the slot of the fine adjustment cam.

10. The head-up display positioning device of claim 9 , wherein the fine adjustment cam is mounted on the misuse arm, the slot having a decreasing radius such that the fine adjustment pin is configured to move toward a center of the fine adjustment cam as the fine adjustment pin travels from an entry toward an end of the slot.

11. The head-up display positioning device of claim 10 , wherein the mechanism is configured such that if the combiner is pulled with the predetermined external force, the fine adjustment pin pushes the fine adjustment cam and the misuse pin, thereby displacing the misuse arm, and whereupon the misuse arm is configured to engage the misuse button when displaced by the fine adjustment pin.

12. The head-up display positioning device of claim 11 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate the main shaft in the forward direction to move the combiner from the stowed position to the open position, and the motor is configured to rotate the main shaft in the backward direction to move the combiner from at least one of the open position and the display position to the stowed position.

13. The head-up display positioning device of claim 12 , further comprising a cover spring attached to the cover, the cover spring being disposed between the combiner and the cover in the stowed position, and the cover spring being disposed between the cover and the housing in at least one of the open position and the display position, the cover spring being configured to reduce rattling of the cover.

14. A head-up display positioning device comprising:
a combiner configured to reflect a generated image to create a virtual image for viewing by an occupant of a vehicle;
a housing for stowing the combiner;
a mechanism including a motor configured to move the combiner between a stowed position wherein the combiner is located fully within the housing and a display position wherein the combiner is at least partially located outside of the housing and viewable by the occupant;
a cover configured to close over the housing when the combiner is in the stowed position, the cover being movable to allow the combiner to move into the display position; and
a misuse arm configured to selectively activate a controller to cause the mechanism to automatically stow the combiner in the stowed position within the housing and close the cover when a predetermined force is applied to the combiner;
wherein, the cover and the combiner are simultaneously movable, the head-up display positioning device further comprising a misuse button configured to activate the controller to cause the mechanism to automatically stow the combiner in the stowed position within the housing and close the cover.

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc

Inventors

• Quiroz De La Mora Luis Ernesto
• Kissel Robert Wolfgang

Classifications

• G02B27/0149 Primary

  characterised by mechanical features (G02B27/0176 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0154

  with movable elements · CPC title

• G02B2027/0163

  Electric or electronic control thereof · CPC title

• G02B2027/0167

  Emergency system, e.g. to prevent injuries · CPC title