VEHICLE HEAD-UP DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING EXTERNAL LIGHT BLOCKING FUNCTION

A vehicle head-up display (HUD) device includes a case, a screen part disposed inside the case, an aspheric mirror disposed on one side of the screen part, a folding mirror part disposed above the other side of the screen part, a light-emitting display disposed below the other side of the screen part, and an actuator that changes a reflective surface of the folding mirror part by operating the folding mirror part, wherein light emitted by the light-emitting display is displayed externally due to the folding mirror part and the aspheric mirror, and when the reflective surface of the folding mirror part is changed by the actuator, an irradiation direction of external light incident on the light-emitting display due to the aspheric mirror and the folding mirror part is changed to externally of the light-emitting display.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0059709, filed on May 19, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle head-up display device having an external light blocking function and, more particularly, to a vehicle head-up display device having an external light blocking function which may block external light from being irradiated to an image generator.

2. Discussion of Related Art

In recent years, the vehicle market is rapidly growing with the trend of favoring intelligent vehicles equipped with advanced information technology (IT) and convenience functions as well as unique improvement of vehicles.

In this trend, as the vehicles become electrified, functions, in which an IT technology and a wireless communication technology are combined, are rapidly increasing.

In particular, products that support a driver's stability and convenience are being released, and among them, vehicle head-up displays (HUDs) are being spotlighted as a variety of product lines.

In general, the vehicle HUDs are devices that display, on windshields that are front windows of the vehicles, images including vehicle speeds, remaining fuel amounts, road guidance information, and the like.

Such vehicle HUD devices are equipped with picture generation units (PGUs) that generate vehicle information through light, and when such PGUs are irradiated with strong external light, the PGUs may be damaged.

Thus, technologies have been developed in which, when the HUDs are not used or the PGUs are irradiated with strong external light, the PGUs are not irradiated with external light.

However, there is still a problem in that, in the HUD devices having a light shielding structure according to the related art, the external light being irradiated to the PGUs cannot be efficiently blocked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to solving the above-described problems, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle head-up display (HUD) device having an external light blocking function capable of preventing damage to a picture generation unit (PGU) by blocking external light from being irradiated to the PGU.

A vehicle head-up display (HUD) device includes a case, a screen part disposed inside the case, an aspheric mirror disposed on one side of the screen part, a folding mirror part disposed above the other side of the screen part, a PGU disposed below the other side of the screen part, and an actuator that changes a reflective surface of the folding mirror part by operating the folding mirror part, wherein light emitted by the PGU is displayed externally due to the folding mirror part and the aspheric minor, and when the reflective surface of the folding minor part is changed by the actuator, an irradiation direction of external light incident on the PGU due to the aspheric minor and the folding mirror part is changed to externally of the PGU.

The folding minor part may be rotatably mounted on the screen part, and the actuator may rotate the folding mirror part with respect to the screen part to change an angle of the reflective surface of the folding mirror part.

The actuator may have one end coupled to the screen part and the other and connected to one end of the folding mirror part, and by operating the actuator, the folding minor part may rotate with respect to the screen part about a rotation axis.

The folding minor part may be mounted on the screen part to be vertically rotatable.

The actuator may have a solenoid structure and thus have a length that changes when power is applied, and the folding minor part may rotate due to the change in the length of the actuator.

The vehicle HUD device may further include a spring elastically deformed due to the change in the length of the actuator, wherein, when the power is applied to change the length of the actuator, the spring is elastically deformed, and when the power applied to the actuator is removed, the length of the actuator returns to an original length due to an elastically restoring force of the spring

The folding minor part may include a minor portion having a reflective surface and a frame portion coupled to a circumference of the minor portion. Both sides of the frame portion may be rotatably mounted on the screen part, a coupling protrusion may protrude from one end of the frame portion, and the other end of the actuator may be rotatably coupled to the coupling protrusion.

The coupling protrusion may have a long coupling hole to which the other end of the actuator is coupled, and when the folding mirror part rotates by operating the actuator, the other end of the actuator may move inside the coupling hole.

The vehicle HUD device may further include a bracket that couples the frame portion to the screen part, wherein the bracket has one end coupled to the screen part and the other end to which both sides of the frame portion are rotatably coupled.

The bracket may include a support plate coupled to the screen part and a connection part that is bent upward from the support plate, and both sides of the frame portion may be rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the connection part.

The vehicle HUD device may further include a spring having one end coupled to the other end of the frame portion and the other end coupled to the bracket, wherein, when the folding mirror part rotates in one direction due to the actuator, the spring is elastically deformed, and when an external force applied to the actuator is removed, the folding mirror part rotates in the other direction due to an elastically restoring force of the spring and thus returns to an original position.

In a state in which the power is not applied to the actuator, the light generated by the PGU may be displayed externally due to the folding mirror part and the aspheric mirror, and the PGU may be irradiated with the external light incident due to the aspheric mirror and the folding mirror part, and in a state in which the power is applied to the actuator and thus the folding mirror part rotates in one direction, an irradiation direction of the external light incident due to the aspheric mirror and the folding mirror part may be changed, and thus the PGU may not be irradiated with the external light.

A vehicle HUD device includes a case, a screen part disposed inside the case, an aspheric mirror disposed on one side of the screen part, a folding mirror part disposed above the other side of the screen part to be vertically rotatable, a PGU disposed below the other side of the screen part, and an actuator that has one end coupled to the screen part and the other end coupled to one end of the folding mirror part and rotates the folding mirror part to change an angle of a reflective surface of the folding mirror part, wherein light generated by the PGU is displayed externally due to the folding mirror part and the aspheric mirror, the actuator has a structure of which a length changes, and as the folding mirror part rotates due to the change in the length of the actuator, the reflective surface changes, and thus an irradiation direction of external light incident on the PGU due to the aspheric mirror and the folding mirror part is changed externally to externally of the PGU.

The actuator has a solenoid structure and thus has a length that changes when power is applied.

A coupling protrusion is formed at one end of the folding mirror part, and the other end of the actuator is rotatably coupled to the coupling protrusion.

The coupling protrusion may have a long coupling hole to which the other end of the actuator is coupled, and when the folding mirror part rotates by operating the actuator, the other end of the actuator may move inside the coupling hole.

The vehicle HUD device may further include a bracket that couples the folding mirror part to the screen part, wherein the bracket has one end coupled to the screen part and the other end to which both sides of the folding mirror part are rotatably coupled.

The vehicle HUD device may further include a spring having one end coupled to the other end of the folding mirror part and the other end coupled to the bracket, wherein, when the folding minor part rotates in one direction due to the actuator, the spring is elastically deformed, and when an external force applied to the actuator is removed, the folding mirror part rotates in the other direction by an elastically restoring force of the spring and thus returns to an original position.

In a state in which the power is not applied to the actuator, the light generated by the PGU may be displayed externally due to the folding minor part and the aspheric mirror, and the PGU may be irradiated with the external light incident due to the aspheric mirror and the folding minor part, and in a state in which the power is applied to the actuator and thus the folding minor part rotates in one direction, an irradiation direction of the external light incident due to the aspheric mirror and the folding mirror part may be changed, and thus the PGU may not be irradiated with the external light.

A vehicle HUD device includes a case, a screen part disposed inside the case, an aspheric mirror disposed on one side of the screen, a folding minor part disposed above the other side of the screen part to be vertically rotatable, a PGU disposed below the other side of the screen part, and an actuator coupled to one end of the folding mirror part to rotate the folding minor part so as to change an angle of a reflective surface of the folding minor part, wherein, in a state in which power is not applied to the actuator, light generated by the PGU is displayed externally due to the folding minor part and the aspheric mirror, and the PGU is irradiated with external light incident due to the aspheric mirror and the folding minor part, and in a state in which the power is applied to the actuator and the folding minor part rotates in one direction, an irradiation direction of the external light incident due to the aspheric minor and the folding mirror part is changed, and thus the PGU is not irradiated with the external light.

The vehicle HUD device may further include a spring having one end coupled to the other end of the folding mirror part and the other end coupled to the screen part, wherein, when the folding mirror part rotates in one direction due to the actuator, the spring is elastically deformed, and when an external force applied to the actuator is removed, the folding mirror part rotates in the other direction due to an elastically restoring force of the spring and thus returns to an original position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 4, a vehicle head-up display (HUD) device includes a case (not illustrated), a screen part20, an aspheric mirror30, a folding mirror part50, a picture generation unit (PGU)40, and an actuator60.

The case is a part constituting the overall appearance of the HUD device.

The screen part20is disposed inside the case.

The aspheric mirror30is disposed on one side of the screen part20.

The folding mirror part50is disposed above the other side of the screen part20.

A reflective surface is formed on the folding mirror part50.

The PGU40is disposed below the other side of the screen part20.

Light generated by the PGU40is reflected by the aspheric mirror30and is displayed on a windshield of a vehicle.

The PGU40includes both of a light-emitting display, such as a laser or a diode, and a light-receiving display such as a liquid crystal display.

The actuator60operates the folding mirror part50using applied power to change the reflective surface of the folding mirror part50.

Since the case, the screen part20, the aspheric mirror30, and the PGU40are the same as or similar to those of a widely-known technology according to the related art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the folding mirror part50and the actuator60will be mainly described below.

The folding mirror part50may be slidably mounted on the screen part20or the like to change the reflective surface. However, as in the present embodiment, the folding mirror part50may be rotatably mounted on the screen part20so that an angle of the reflective surface of the folding mirror part50may be changed by the rotation of the folding mirror part50.

Normally, the light generated by the PGU40is displayed externally due to the folding mirror part50and the aspheric mirror30.

Then, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 3, through a separate sensor or the like, when it is detected that the PGU40is irradiated with external light (indicated by an arrow) incident due to the aspheric mirror30and the folding mirror part50, that is, when a sun burn is detected, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 4, the actuator60rotates the folding mirror part50with respect to the screen part20to change the angle of the reflective surface of the folding mirror part50.

As described above, when the reflective surface of the folding mirror part is changed by the actuator60, as the irradiation direction of the external light (indicated by arrow) incident on the PGU40through the aspheric mirror30and the folding mirror part50is changed to externally of the PGU40, the PGU40is not irradiated with the external light.

Alternatively, when the vehicle is parked, a reflection angle of the reflective surface of the folding mirror part50is changed, and thus the PGU40may be prevented from being irradiated with the external light.

The folding minor part50may be mounted on the screen part20to be rotatable in a left-right direction. However, in the present embodiment the folding mirror part50is mounted on the screen part20to be vertically rotatable.

Thus, the folding minor part50rotates vertically with respect to the screen part20, and thus the reflection angle thereof is changed.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 3, in a state before the folding mirror part50is rotated, the PGU40may be irradiated with the external light reflected due to the folding mirror part50. However, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 4, when the folding mirror part is rotated, as the reflection angle of the folding mirror part50is changed, the external light is blocked from being irradiated to the PGU40and thus the PGU40can be prevented from being damaged by the strong external light.

Although the actuator60for rotating the folding mirror part50may include various components, as in the present embodiment, the actuator60may include components whose lengths are variable.

In particular, the actuator60may have a solenoid structure in the interior thereof, the length thereof may be changed when power is applied, and thus the folding minor part50may be rotated by a change in the length of the actuator60.

Since the structure of the solenoid-type actuator is widely known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Since the actuator60has the solenoid structure in the interior thereof, through a separate sensor or the like, when it is detected that the PGU40is irradiated with the external light incident due to the aspheric minor30and the folding minor part50, that is, when a sun burn is detected, the reflection angle of the folding mirror part50is changed by the actuator60within a very short time, and thus the PGU40may not be irradiated with the external light.

The actuator60has one end coupled to the screen part20and the other end coupled to one end of the folding mirror part50, and by operating the actuator60, the folding mirror part50rotates with respect to the screen part20about a rotation axis.

In the drawing of the present embodiment, as illustrated inFIGS. 5 to 7, the folding mirror part50includes a mirror portion51having a reflective surface and a frame portion52coupled to the circumference of the mirror portion51.

However, the mirror portion51and the frame portion52are integrally formed so that the folding mirror part50may be formed as a single component.

Rotary shafts are formed on both sides of the frame portion52, and thus the folding mirror part50is rotatably mounted on the screen part20.

A coupling protrusion53protrudes from one end of the frame portion52.

Further, the other end of the actuator60is rotatably coupled to the coupling protrusion53.

As illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 9, the coupling protrusion53has a long coupling hole54to which the other end of the actuator60is coupled.

When the folding mirror part50rotates by operating the actuator60, the other end of the actuator60moves inside the long coupling hole54.

The frame portion52may be directly coupled to the screen part20, and as illustrated in the drawings in the present embodiment, the frame portion52may be indirectly coupled to the screen part20through a bracket70.

The bracket70serves to couple the frame portion52to the screen part20.

The bracket70has one end coupled to the screen part20.

Further, both sides of the frame portion52are rotatably coupled to the other end of the bracket70.

In more detail, the bracket70includes a support plate71coupled to the screen part20and a connection part72that is bent upward from the support plate71.

Both sides of the frame portions52are rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the connection part72.

Further, the present disclosure may further include a spring80having one end coupled to the other end of the frame portion52and the other end coupled to the bracket70.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, when the folding mirror part50rotates in one direction due to the actuator60, the spring80is elastically deformed. Further, as illustrated inFIG. 5, when an external force applied to the actuator60is removed, the folding mirror part50rotates in the other direction due to an elastic restoring force of the spring80and thus returns to an original position.

In the present embodiment, in the drawing, the spring80is coupled to the other end of the frame portion52and the bracket70. However, as long as a component is provided to implement a function, that is, the elastic restoring force, of the spring80, a coupling target and a structural position of the component may be changed.

In other words, the spring80is elastically deformed by a change in the length of the actuator60. As long as the spring80is provided so that when power is applied to the actuator60to change the length of the actuator60, the spring is elastically deformed, and when the power applied to the actuator60is removed, the length of the actuator60returns to an original state by the elastically restoring force of the spring, a coupling target and a structural position of the spring80may be changed.

In the present embodiment, in a state in which the power is not applied to the actuator60, the light generated by the PGU40is displayed externally due to the folding mirror part50and the aspheric mirror30.

Further, the PGU40is irradiated with the external light incident due to the aspheric mirror30and the folding mirror part50.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 3, through a separate sensor or the like, when it is detected that the PGU40is irradiated with the external light, that is, when a sun burn is detected, the power is applied to the actuator60.

As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 6, as the power is applied to the actuator60, the folding mirror part50rotates in one direction while the length of the actuator60is changed.

When the folding mirror part50rotates in the one direction, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 4, the reflection angle of the folding mirror part50is changed, the irradiation direction of the external light incident due to the aspheric mirror30and the folding mirror part50is changed, and thus, the PGU40is not irradiated.

Accordingly, the PGU40can be prevented from being damaged by irradiating the PGU40with the strong external light.

However, when it is determined in a separate controller that a sun burn has ended, and when the power applied to the actuator60is blocked, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the folding mirror part50rotates in the other direction due to the elastically restoring force of the spring80and returns to the original position.

When the folding mirror part50returns to the original position, various pieces of guide information of the vehicle generated by the PGU40may be displayed on the windshield of the vehicle due to the folding mirror part50and the aspheric mirror30.

As described above, the present disclosure has the effect of, when the sun burn is detected, changing the reflection angle of the folding mirror part50and thus is capable of preventing the PGU40from being damaged by irradiating the PGU40with the external light and has the effect of, when the power applied to the actuator60is blocked, causing the folding mirror part50to rapidly return to the original position by the elastic restoring force of the spring80.

A vehicle head-up display (HUD) device having an external light blocking function according to the present disclosure has the following effects.

The present disclosure has the effect of being capable of preventing a PGU from being damaged by irradiating the PGU with external light by changing a reflection angle of a folding mirror part when a sun burn is detected and has the effect of causing the folding mirror part to rapidly return to an original position due to an elastically restoring force of a spring when power applied to an actuator is blocked.

The vehicle HUD device having an external light blocking function according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may be various modified without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure.