Patent ID: 8289229

Claim:
A head-up display apparatus for a vehicle of which a windshield functions as a reflecting element for transmitting and reflecting light, the apparatus allowing a driver of the vehicle to visually perceive as a virtual image a perceived image reflected by the windshield, the apparatus comprising: a light shielding element configured to intercept part of outside light incident from an exterior external to the vehicle via the windshield into a compartment of the vehicle; an image projecting element configured to project image light to form the perceived image, the projected image light having a main optical axis that is defined as passing through a center of the projected image light; a deflecting element provided in a light path of the image light from the image projecting element towards the windshield, the deflecting element deflecting the image light from the image projecting element; and an optical element configured to transmit the image light deflected by the deflecting element to a projecting side of the windshield through an incident side and an outgoing side of the optical element, perform a predetermined optical converging action on the transmitted image light with respect to only a single preset certain direction that is one of two directions orthogonal to a direction of a thickness of the optical element, the optical converging action being performed for magnifying the virtual image, and incline by a predetermined first inclination angle about a first inclination axis that is parallel with the preset certain direction such that not-intercepted outside light, which is defined as an outside light reaching the optical element without being intercepted by the light shielding element, is reflected by the optical element so as to be uniquely identified within a plane that is orthogonal to the preset certain direction, the inclining by the predetermined first inclination angle in the optical element (i) causing the not-intercepted outside light to be directed to outside a visual perception range of the driver, the visual perception range where the perceived image formed of the image light reflected by the reflecting element to be visually perceived by the driver, and (ii) enabling an occurrence of a predetermined first distortion along the preset certain direction of the virtual image, wherein: the deflecting element is so disposed that a normal to an image-incident side of the deflecting element on the main optical axis of the image light incident on the deflecting element inclines by a second inclination angle against the main optical axis of the image light about a second inclination axis that is parallel with the preset certain direction; and the predetermined second inclination angle is provided so as to cancel out the occurrence of the predetermined first distortion in the virtual image enabled by the inclining by the predetermined first inclination angle in the optical element.