WO2016059803A1

WO2016059803A1 - Angle adjusting mechanism, display apparatus and rotatable body unit

Info

Publication number: WO2016059803A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/005218
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yasukazu Yomogita
Original assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2014-10-17
Filing date: 2015-10-15
Publication date: 2016-04-21
Also published as: JP6435159B2; JP2016080900A

Abstract

There is provided an angle adjusting mechanism (300) which rotates a rotatable body(200), rotatably supported by a first supporting body (100) via a first rotation shaft (201), so as to adjust a rotation angle of the rotatable body. The angle adjusting mechanism (300) includes a driving source (320); and an arm (340) which is rockably supported by a second supporting body (310) via a second rotation shaft (342), which is engaged with the rotatable body, and which rotates the rotatable body depending on driving output of the driving source.

Description

ANGLE ADJUSTING MECHANISM, DISPLAY APPARATUS AND ROTATABLE BODY UNIT

The present teaching relates to an angle adjusting mechanism which adjusts a rotation angle of a rotatable body, a display apparatus provided with the angle adjusting mechanism, and a rotatable body unit provided with the angle adjusting mechanism.

As a display apparatus for a vehicle, there is known a head-up display apparatus which displays a virtual image by projecting, on a wind shield of the vehicle, a display light containing optical information and irradiated from a display device. In general, a head-up display apparatus of this kind is accommodated inside a dash board in the vehicle and has such a configuration that the display light irradiated from the display device is allowed to reflected off a mirror composed of a concave mirror so as to project the display light on the wind shield. As the mirror composed of the concave mirror, there is known such a mirror which is provided to be rotatable about a horizontal rotation shaft so that height position of the virtual image projected on the wind shield is made to be adjustable depending on the visual point height of an occupant of the vehicle, and which is rotated by a motor (see Patent Literature 1).

[PATENT LITERATURE 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-131651

Summary

In the head-up display apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 described above, the rotation shaft of the mirror is rotated by the motor so as to rotate the mirror, and the motor is arranged on a lateral side of the mirror and the output shaft of the motor is connected coaxially and directly to an end portion of the rotation shaft of the mirror. In such a construction, however, the width dimension of the head-up display apparatus exceeds the width of the mirror and thus becomes large, which in turn causes a problem that the space for mounting the head-up display apparatus in the vehicle is increased, and also causes a problem that, accompanying with the increased space for mounting the head-up display apparatus, the degree of freedom regarding the dimension and arrangement positions of other devices/apparatuses mounted in vehicle is lowered. From the viewpoint of such a situation, the motor can be arranged on the rear side of the mirror to thereby suppress the width of the head-up display apparatus as a whole. This case, however, requires a means for connecting the output shaft of the motor to the rotation shaft of the mirror, such as a gear train and the like, and thus a high-level precision in assembly and a high-level precision in parts and/or components are required therefor. In addition, since the construction wherein the rotation shaft of the mirror is directly driven by the motor requires a motor having a large driving torque, there is also such a disadvantage that the electric power consumption is hard to suppress.

The present teaching has been made from the viewpoint of the above-described situation, and a main object of the present teaching is to provide an angle adjusting mechanism which can downsize a device, etc. including the angle adjusting mechanism, which is capable of suppressing the precision required in assembly and precision required in parts/components, and which is further capable of saving the electric power, and to provide a display apparatus and a rotatable body unit including such an angle adjusting mechanism.

Solution to the Problem

An angle adjusting mechanism related to a first aspect of the present teaching is an angle adjusting mechanism which rotates a rotatable body, rotatably supported by a first supporting body via a first rotation shaft, so as to adjust a rotation angle of the rotatable body, the mechanism including: a driving source; and an arm which is rockably supported by a second supporting body via a second rotation shaft, which is engaged with the rotatable body, and which rotates the rotatable body depending on driving output of the driving source.

Further, an angle adjusting mechanism related to a second aspect of the present teaching is an angle adjusting mechanism which adjusts a rotation angle of a rotatable body rotatable relative to a first rotation shaft, the mechanism including: a driving source; and an arm which is rockable relative to a second rotation shaft parallel to the first rotation shaft, and which rotates the rotatable body depending on driving output of the driving source.

In each of the angle adjusting mechanisms related to the first and second aspects of the present teaching, a preferred aspect is such an aspect wherein at least a portion of the angle adjusting mechanism is arranged within width of the rotatable body. Specifically, the preferred aspect is exemplified by an aspect wherein at least a portion of each of the arm and the driving source unit is arranged within width of the rotatable body.

Each of the angle adjusting mechanisms related to the first and second aspects of the present teaching includes an aspect wherein the second rotation shaft is arranged in the vicinity of the first rotation shaft in a state that the second rotation shaft is coaxial or non-coaxial to the first rotation shaft.

Further, in each of the angle adjusting mechanisms related to the first and second aspects of the present teaching includes an aspect wherein the driving source is overlapped with the arm in an extending direction of the second rotation shaft.

Furthermore, each of the angle adjusting mechanisms related to the first and second aspects of the present teaching includes an aspect provided with a deceleration mechanism (reduction gear mechanism) which transmits the driving output of the driving source to the arm. Moreover, in this aspect, the deceleration mechanism may include a worm gear.

A display apparatus related to a third aspect of the present teaching is a display apparatus which performs display by reflecting a light irradiated from a display device with a mirror and projecting the reflected light on a wind shield of a vehicle, the display apparatus including the angle adjusting mechanism related to the first or second aspect, wherein the rotatable body is the mirror.

Further, a display apparatus related to a fourth aspect of the present teaching is a display apparatus which performs display by projecting a light irradiated from a display device on a combiner, the display apparatus including the angle adjusting mechanism related to the first or second aspect, wherein the rotatable body is the combiner.

A rotatable body unit related to a fifth aspect of the present teaching is a rotatable body unit including: a rotatable body having a plate-like shape; a supporting unit which supports the rotatable body to be rotatable about a first axis; and an angle adjusting mechanism which causes the rotatable body to rotate; wherein the angle adjusting mechanism includes an arm rockable about a second axis parallel to the first axis and a driving source which rocks the arm; the rotatable body is rotated by being pressed by the arm; and at least a portion of the angle adjusting mechanism is arranged, in a direction of the first axis, at a position same as a position of a portion of the rotatable body.

Fig. 1 is a side view schematically depicting a head-up display apparatus (HUD) related to an embodiment of the present teaching. Fig. 2 is a perspective view depicting a concave mirror unit provided on the HUD related to the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view depicting the concave mirror unit as viewed from the rear side thereof (a back plate (a back board) of a bracket is not depicted in the drawing). Fig. 4 is a rear view of the concave mirror unit (the back plate of the bracket is not depicted in the drawing). Fig. 5 is a plane view of the concave mirror unit. Fig. 6 is a side view of an angle adjusting mechanism provided on the concave mirror unit. Fig. 7 is a side view depicting the construction of the angle adjusting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a perspective view depicting the construction of the angle adjusting mechanism. Fig. 9A is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 4, taken along line IX-IX of Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction shown by the arrows, indicating the action of the angle adjusting mechanism. Fig. 9B is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 4, taken along line IX-IX of Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction shown by the arrows, indicating the action of the angle adjusting mechanism. Fig. 10 is a side view schematically depicting another HUD to which the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment is applied.

In the following, an embodiment, in which a display apparatus provided with an angle adjusting mechanism related to the present teaching is applied to a head-up display apparatus, will be explained with reference to the drawings.

<1: Overall Construction of Head-Up Display Apparatus>
Fig. 1 is a view schematically depicting a head-up display apparatus (display apparatus, hereinafter abbreviated as "HUD") 1A related to an embodiment of the present teaching. Fig. 1 depicts a state in which the HUD 1A is set inside a dash board (not depicted) of a vehicle provided with a wind shield (wind screen) G.

The HUD 1A is provided with a display device 2 including a projector and the like; a reflecting mirror (reflector) 3 including a plane mirror; a mirror unit 4 (rotatable body unit) having a concave mirror 210; and a housing 5 accommodating the display device 2, the reflecting mirror 3 and the mirror unit 4. In HUD 1A, a display light L generated in the display device 2 is guided to an exit port 5a formed in an upper portion of the housing 5, via the reflecting mirror 3 and the concave mirror 210, and is allowed to pass through the exit port 5a and then is projected on the wind shield G. The display light L is reflected off the wind shield G toward a driver P, and a virtual image V based on the display light L is displayed at a location in front of the wind shield G. The driver P visually confirms the virtual image V superimposed on the landscape in front of the wind shield G, and obtains information for driving. The information indicated by the virtual image V is, for example, a variety of kinds of vehicle information (velocity, distance covered by the vehicle, and the like), navigation information, and the like.

<2: Construction of Mirror Unit>
Next, the construction of the mirror unit 4 will be explained. As depicted in Figs. 2 to 5, the mirror unit 4 is provided with a bracket (first supporting body, supporting unit) 100; a mirror (rotatable body) 200 including the concave mirror 210 which is rotatably supported by the bracket 100 via a first rotation shaft 201 including a pair of projected

shafts

232 and 236; and an angle adjusting mechanism 300 causing the mirror 200 to rotate about the first rotation shaft 201 so as to adjust the rotation angle of the mirror 200.

The bracket 100 is formed to have a rectangular parallelepiped box-shape which is elongated and which has a bottom plate 100, lateral plates 120 on the both sides and a back plate 130. Namely, each of the bottom plate 100 and the back plate 130 has a rectangular shape of which longitudinal direction is the width direction of the mirror unit 4 and the bracket 100. The lateral plates 120 are disposed on the both sides in the width direction of the bottom plate 110. The mirror 200 is constructed of the concave mirror 210 having an elongated plate-like shape (i.e. a substantial rectangular shape elongated in the width direction) and having a reflection surface (specular surface) 211 which is formed to have a predetermined curvature, and a frame 220 into which the concave mirror 210 is fitted and to which the concave mirror 210 is fixed. The mirror 200 is accommodated inside the bracket 100 in a state that the frame 220 is made to face (be opposed to) the back plate 130.

As depicted in Fig. 1, the bracket 100 is arranged in the inside of the dash board of the vehicle so that the width direction of the bracket 100 is parallel to the left-right direction of the vehicle (a front-back direction of the sheet surface of Fig. 1; a direction orthogonal to the sheet surface of Fig. 1), and further the bracket 100 is set in a state wherein the reflection surface 211 of the concave mirror 210 is inclined to face obliquely upward direction and to face the rear side in the vehicle (namely the side in which the driver P is present). The respective directions X, Y, Z in Fig. 2 indicate the width direction (left-right direction), the depth direction (front-rear direction) and the height direction, respectively, of the bracket 100.

The frame 220 of the mirror 200 has, as a main component thereof, a framework portion (main body of frame, frame body) 230 formed to have a curved shaped along the shape of the concave mirror 210. The concave mirror 210 is inserted into and fixed to the front side of the frame body 230. As depicted in Figs. 3 to 5, a beam portion 240 bulging (extending) from a central portion of the rear surface of the frame body 230 and extending toward a lateral end surface 231 located on one side in the width direction of the mirror unit 4 (on the left side in Figs. 4 and 5) is integrally formed with the frame body 230. The beam portion 240 is formed at a central portion in the height direction of the frame body 230. As depicted in Figs. 4 and 5, an end portion of the beam portion 240 projects laterally (toward the one side in the width direction of the mirror unit 4) beyond the lateral end surface 231, and an end surface of the beam portion 240 is formed with the projected shaft 232 projecting laterally (toward the one side in the width direction of the mirror unit 4). Further, a lateral end surface 235 located on the other side in the width direction of the mirror unit 4 (on the right side in Figs. 4 and 5) is formed with the projected shaft 236 projecting laterally (toward the other side in the width direction of the mirror unit 4) so that the projected shaft 236 is coaxial to the projected shaft 232.

The projected

shafts

232, 236 on the left and right sides (both end portions in the width direction) are inserted into

shaft holes

122 and 126 formed on the left and right lateral plates 120, respectively, of the bracket 100. With this, the mirror 200 is supported by the bracket 100 to be rotatable about the projected

shafts

232 and 236. In the embodiment, the first rotation shaft 201 of the mirror 200 is composed of the pair of left and right projected

shafts

232 and 236 which are coaxial to each other.

Axis 201A (depicted in Fig. 5) of the first rotation shaft 201 extends in parallel with the width direction of the bracket 100, namely in parallel with the left-right direction of the vehicle. Accordingly, the width direction of the concave mirror 210 itself (indicated by a line 210A in Fig. 5) is inclined (oblique) with respect to the axis 201A of the first rotation shaft 201, and end portions, of the curved concave mirror 210 and the curved frame 220, on the side wherein the beam portion 240 is formed, project frontward from the bracket 100. In the bracket 100, a space is defined between the back plate 130 and a portion of the rear surface of the frame 200 on the side projecting forward from the bracket 100; and the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is arranged in this space. In the following, the angle adjusting mechanism related to the present teaching will be explained.

<3: Angle Adjusting Mechanism>
<3-1: Construction>
As depicted in Fig. 4, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is placed on and fixed to two supports (columns) 111 upstandingly disposed on the bottom plate 110 of the bracket 100. As depicted in Figs. 6 to 8, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is provided with a case (second supporting body) 310 which is fixed to the supports 111, and a motor (driving source) 320, a decelerating mechanism 330 and an arm 340 which are accommodated inside the case 310. The case 310 is composed by combining a case body 311 and a lid body 315 together, and the case body 311 and the lid body 315 are placed on and fixed to these supports 111, respectively. As depicted in Fig. 4, in a state that the case 310 is fixed in this manner, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is arranged within the width of the mirror 200. Namely, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is arranged between one end portion, in the width direction, of the mirror 200 and the other end portion, in the width direction, of the mirror 200.

As depicted in Fig. 7, the arm 340 extends substantially in the up-down direction, and an upper end portion of the arm 340 is formed with a second rotation shaft 340 of which axis extends in the left-right direction (X direction in Fig. 2; the width direction of the mirror unit 4 and the bracket 100). The second rotation shaft 342 is supported by a bearing (not depicted) disposed inside the case 310 in a state that the second rotation shaft 342 is parallel with the first rotation shaft 201 and that rotation shaft 342 is rotatable. The arm 340 is supported inside the case 310, via the second rotation shaft 342, to be rockably (swingably) in the front-rear direction (Y direction in Fig. 2; the depth direction of the mirror unit 4 and the bracket 100) as indicated by an arrow A in Fig. 7. A worm wheel 335 composed of helical gear teeth is formed in a lower end surface of the arm 340 such that the worm wheel 335 is concentric with the second rotation shaft 342 (a portion of a worm wheel is formed such that the helical gear teeth are arranged on the circumference of which center is the second rotation shaft 342). The second rotation shaft 342 is non-coaxial with the first rotation shaft 201, and is arranged to be close (in the vicinity of) the first rotation shaft 201.

As depicted in Fig. 8, the arm 340 is caused to rock (swing) by the motor 320 fixed inside the case 310. The decelerating mechanism 330 composed of a gear train is intervened between the motor 320 and the arm 340, the gear train transmitting the rotation of the motor 320 to the arm 340 while decelerating the rotational speed. The motor 320 is arranged on a lateral side of the arm 340 in a state that a drive shaft 322 to which a driving gear 321 is fixed faces toward the mirror 200 arranged on the front side of the angle adjusting mechanism 300. The motor 320 and the arm 340 are overlapped with each other in the extending direction of the second rotation shaft 342. The decelerating mechanism 330 is constructed of a two-stage spur gear 331 which meshes with the driving gear 321, a two-stage spur gear 332 which meshes with the spur gear 331, a spur gear 333 which meshes with the spur gear 332, a worm gear 334 which is coaxial with the spur gear 333 and integrally formed with the spur gear 333, and the worm wheel 335 which meshes with the worm gear 334. The axes of the respective gears 331 to 334 extend in the front-rear direction and in parallel with the driving shaft 322 of the motor 320. Each of the gears 331 to 334 is rotatably supported by a bearing disposed inside the case 310.

The driving shaft 322 of the motor 320 is urged toward the motor 320 by a leaf spring (plate spring) 325, thereby suppressing any looseness (backlash, play) in the axial direction. An end portion of the leaf spring 325 is fixed inside the lid body 315 of the case 310, and the other end portion of the leaf spring 325 is arranged to elastically contact an end portion of the driving shaft 322. With this, the other end portion of the leaf spring 325 contacts the end portion of the driving shaft 322 and urges the driving shaft 322 to the motor 320 with the elastic force of the leaf spring 325.

When the motor 320 rotates, the rotation of the motor 320 is transmitted to the arm 340 via the decelerating mechanism 330, which in turn causes the arm 340 to rock about the second rotation shaft 342 in the front-rear direction as indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 7, depending on the rotational direction of the motor 320. A cylindrical boss 341 which extends laterally (extends toward the other side in the width direction of the mirror unit 4 and the bracket 100) is formed in a rocking end of the arm 340 which rocks in the above-described manner, namely in a lower end portion of a lateral surface, of the arm 340, on a side opposite to the side in which the motor 320 is provided. As depicted in Fig. 6, the boss 341 projects from the case 310, penetrating through a slit 312 which is formed in the case body 311 and which extends in the front-rear direction. Further, the boss 341 is inserted and fitted into a groove 246 formed in the beam portion 240 of the frame 220 of the mirror 200, as depicted in Fig. 3 and Figs. 9A and 9B.

As depicted in Figs. 3 and 4, an arch portion 241 projecting upward is formed in the beam portion 240, and the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is arranged in such a state that an upper portion of the angle adjusting mechanism 300 enters inside the arch portion 241. Further, the beam portion 240 has an engaging portion 245 which projects downward at a side of the angle adjusting mechanism 300, the side having the boss 341 formed on the arm 340. As depicted in Figs. 9A and 9B, the groove 246 which is open downwardly and in the left-right direction is formed in the engaging portion 245. The boss 341 of the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is inserted and fitted into the groove 246, thereby engaging the arm 340 with the engaging portion 245 via the boss 341.

The boss 341 is moved in the front-rear direction accompanying with the rocking motion of the arm 340. When the boss 341 moves in the front-rear direction, the boss 341 contacts the inner surface of the groove 246 so as to move the engaging portion 245 in the front-rear direction, thereby rotating the mirror 200 about the first rotation shaft 201 as indicated by an arrow B in Figs. 9A and 9B, and thus adjusting the rotational angle, namely inclination angle of the mirror 200. Note that for example, a lower end portion of the frame 220 of the mirror 200 is urged by an elastic body such as a spring so that the mirror 200 is rotated always in one direction. In other words, the elastic body is connected to a portion of the mirror 200, and the mirror 200 is always urged to one direction by the elastic body. With this, the boss 341 is always made to contact the inner surface of the groove 246, thereby making it possible to prevent any looseness from being generated (to suppress the generation of any looseness) even when receiving any vibration. Further, owing to the action of the elastic body, any backlash of the gear train of the decelerating mechanism 330 is also suppressed.

In the angle adjusting mechanism 300, when the vehicle is powered ON (when the power unit of the electric system of the vehicle is switched ON), the arm 340 initially rocks toward the back plate 130 (to the front side of the vehicle, to the rear side of the mirror unit 4) and contacts a contact switch 350, as depicted in Fig. 7. This turns the contact switch 350 ON, and causes the arm 340 to stop at a position. This position at which the arm 340 stops is designated as an operation original point. The rotational angel of the arm 340 is controlled using the operation original point as the origin.

<3-2: Operation>
According to the angle adjusting mechanism 300, when the switch of the motor 320 is turned ON (switched on) and the driving gear 321 is rotated, the rotation of the driving gear 321 is transmitted to the worm gear 334 via the spur gears 331 to 333; the rotation of the worm gear 344 causes the worm wheel 335 to rotate. When the worm wheel 335 rotates, the arm 340 is caused to rock thereby, causing the boss 341, which engages with the engaging portion 245 of the frame 220 and which moves integrally with the arm 340, to push and pull the engaging portion 245 in the front-rear direction. With this, the rotational angle of the mirror 200 is adjusted as described above. The adjustment range of the rotational angle of the mirror 200 is, for example, in a range of about 3 degrees to about 7 degrees. Note that it is possible to further increase the rotational angle of the arm 340, namely the rotational angle of the mirror 200 by, for example, increasing the number of the tooth of the worm wheel 335.

By adjusting the inclination angle of the mirror 200 in the above-described manner, the height position of the virtual image V projected on a location in front of the wind shield G can be adjusted depending on the visual point height of the driver P.

<3-3: Effects of the embodiment>
In the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment, the respective rotation shafts of the mirror 200 and the arm 340, namely the first rotation shaft 201 and the second rotation shaft 342 are separated and independent from each other. Accordingly, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 can be arranged within the width of the mirror 200 and on the rear side of the mirror 200. Further, the second rotation shaft 342 of the arm 340 is arranged in the vicinity of the first rotation shaft 201 of the mirror 200. With these constructions, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 can be incorporated into the mirror unit 4, without excessively increasing the width of the mirror unit 4 with respect to width of the mirror 200, and a mirror unit 4 which includes the motor 320 and of which dimension (size) is reduced (small-sized), can be obtained, thereby making it possible to obtain a small-sized HUD 1A. Further, by realizing a small-sized motor 320, the dead space on the rear side of the mirror 200 inside the bracket 100 can be efficiently used for arranging the angle adjusting mechanism 300 therein.

Further, in the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment, since the mirror 200 is rotated by the arm 340 to thereby perform the angle adjustment for the mirror 200, any high precision is not required for the engaged state between the mirror 200 and the arm 340. Accordingly, the arm 340 and the engaging portion 245 do not require any high-level precision in the assembly and any high-level precision in the parts and/or components which would be required, for example, regarding a motion transmitting means composed of a gear train connecting the output shaft of the motor with the rotation shaft. As a result, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment can be assembled easily. Further, in the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment, the mirror 200 is rotated by pushing and pulling, by the boss 341 of the arm 340, the engaging portion 245 separated and away from the first rotation shaft 201. Thus, the driving torque of the motor 320 can be small as compared with a case of driving the first rotation shaft 201 of the mirror 200 by a motor which is directly and coaxially connected to the first rotation shaft 201. As a result, the electric power conservation can be realized.

Furthermore, in the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment, the second rotation shaft 342 of the arm 340 is arranged in the vicinity of the first rotation shaft 201 of the mirror 200, as described above. With this, the loss in the force for causing the arm 340 to rotate the mirror 200 can be made small, and the mirror 200 can be rotated efficiently by the rocking (pivoting) motion of the arm 340. Note that in the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment, the second rotation shaft 342 may be arranged coaxially with the first rotation shaft 201. In this case, there is no deviation in the rotational orbits of the arms 340 and the mirror 200, and consequently any friction is not generated in the boss 341 with respect to the inner surface of the engaging portion 245 (any friction due to the sliding movement of the boss 341 on the inner surface of the engaging portion 245 is not generated), thereby generating no loss in the force and realizing most satisfactory operating efficiency. Accordingly, in a case that the first rotation shaft 201 and the second rotation shaft 342 are arranged non-coaxially, it is preferred that the second rotation shaft 342 is arranged in the vicinity of the first rotation shaft 201 as close as possible.

Further, in the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the embodiment, the deceleration mechanism 330 includes the worm gear 334, and thus the self-lock acts on the deceleration mechanism 330, which in turn restricts any reverse rotation of the deceleration mechanism 330. This prevents any damage or breakage of the deceleration mechanism 330 and/or the motor 320 which would be otherwise caused by any reverse rotation of the deceleration mechanism 330 due to any external force applied to the mirror 200.

<4: Example of Other Application>
With respect to the co-called HUDs, other than the HUD using the system related to the wind shield head-up display as in the above-described embodiment, there is a combiner head-up display (combiner HUD) which uses a device having an optical element referred to as a combiner. The angle adjusting mechanism related to the present teaching is applicable also to the combiner HUD of such a system.

Fig. 10 schematically depicts a HUD (combiner HUD, display apparatus) 1B using a combiner 6, illustrating a state that the HUD 1B is set with respect to a wind shield G of a vehicle.

The HUD 1B is provided with a display device 7 which displays an image, a reflection type screen for displaying intermediate image 8 (hereinafter referred to as the "reflection type-intermediate image screen 8"), and the combiner 6. The display device 7 and the reflection type-intermediate image screen 8 are accommodated inside a housing 9 and set inside the dash board (not depicted) of the vehicle.

According to the HUD 1B, a display light L generated in the display device 7 is imaged by the reflection type-intermediate image screen 8 to form an image, and the display light L showing the image passes through an exit port 9a of the housing 9 and is projected on the combiner 6. The combiner 6 allows an external light incident via the wind shield G to pass through the combiner 6 and reflects the display light L off the combiner 6, and displays a virtual image V based on the display light L at a location farther in front of the wind shield G located in front of a driver P who visually recognizes the combiner 6. The driver P perceives (visually confirms) the virtual image V superimposed on the landscape in front of the wind shield G, and obtains information for driving indicated by the virtual image V.

The combiner 6 is a half mirror composed of a concave mirror, and similarly to the mirror 200 including the concave mirror 210 and related to the above-described embodiment, the combiner 6 is arranged to be rotatable about a rotation shaft (first rotation shaft related to the present teaching) extending in parallel with the left-right direction of the vehicle. Further, by adjusting the rotational angle, namely the inclination angle of the combiner 6, the height position of the virtual image V is adjusted depending on the visual point height of the driver P. Here, the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the above-described embodiment can be applied to the combiner 6 to thereby adjust the inclination angle of the combiner 6. Namely, in this case, the combiner 6 constructs the rotatable body related to the present teaching.

<5: Others>
Note that the above-described embodiment indicates the examples in which the angle adjusting mechanism 300 is applied to the HUDs as depicted in Figs. 1 and 10, respectively, a HUD to which the angle adjusting mechanism 300 related to the present teaching is applicable is not limited to those having the optical systems provided with the construction such as the HUDs 1A and 1B; the present teaching is applicable to a variety of systems of HUDs. Further, the angle adjusting mechanism related to the present teaching is applicable to an apparatus which rotates a rotatable body to adjust the rotational angle of the rotatable body, without being limited to the HUDs. The rotatable body of this kind is exemplified, for example, by a display of a car navigation apparatus, a steerable antenna, a heliostat of a solar thermal power generation, and the like.

In the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment, the rotatable body is rotated by the arm operating depending on the driving output of the driving source, and the rotation angle of the rotatable body is adjusted. Since the respective rotation shafts of the rotatable body and the arm, namely the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft are separated and independent from each other, the angle adjusting mechanism can be arranged within the width of the rotatable body. This makes it possible to incorporate the angle adjusting mechanism into the rotatable body unit, without increasing the width of the rotatable body unit with respect to width of the rotatable body, and to realize a small-sized rotatable body unit.

According to the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment, the angle of the rotatable body is adjusted by rotating the rotatable body with the arm, and thus any high precision is not required for the mechanism via which the arm rotates the rotatable body. Therefore, any high-level assembly precision and any high-level precision in components and/or parts, those are required for a motion transmitting means composed of a gear train, are not required. Therefore, the angle adjustment mechanism related to the embodiment can be assembled easily. Further, the driving torque of the driving source unit may be small as compared with a case of driving the first rotation shaft of the rotatable body directly by the motor. As a result, the electric power conservation can be realized.

In the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment, the small-sized rotatable body unit can be realized in a state that the angle adjusting mechanism is incorporated in the rotatable body. Further, the loss in the force for rotating the rotatable body by the arm can be made small, and the rotatable body can be rotated efficiently by the rocking (pivoting) motion of the arm. Since the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft are separated and independent from each other, the second rotation shaft may be arranged in the vicinity of the first rotation shaft in a state that the second rotation shaft is non-coaxial to the first rotating shaft.

In the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment, the size in the depth direction orthogonal to the second rotation shaft can be suppressed, thereby realizing the small-sized rotatable body unit.

In the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment, the self-lock acts on the deceleration mechanism by the worm gear, which in turn restricts any reverse rotation of the deceleration mechanism, preventing any damage or breakage of the deceleration mechanism and/or the driving source which would be otherwise caused by any reverse rotation of the deceleration mechanism due to any external force applied to the rotating body.

According to the angle adjusting mechanism related to the embodiment, it is possible to obtain an angle adjusting mechanism which can downsize a device, etc. including the angle adjusting mechanism, which is capable of suppressing the required precisions in assembly and in parts/components and which is further capable of saving the electric power, and it is possible to provide a display apparatus including such an angle adjusting mechanism.

Reference sign list

1A, 1B: HUD: head-up display apparatus (display apparatus)
2, 7: display device; 6: combiner (rotatable body)
100: bracket (first supporting body, supporting unit)
200: mirror (rotatable body); 201: first rotation shaft
210: concave mirror; 220: frame
245: engaging portion; 300: angle adjusting mechanism
310: case (second supporting body)
320: motor (driving source)
330: deceleration mechanism; 334: worm gear; 340: arm
342: second rotation shaft; G: wind shield

Claims

An angle adjusting mechanism which rotates a rotatable body, rotatably supported by a first supporting body via a first rotation shaft, so as to adjust a rotation angle of the rotatable body, the mechanism comprising:
a driving source; and
an arm which is rockably supported by a second supporting body via a second rotation shaft, which is engaged with the rotatable body, and which rotates the rotatable body depending on driving output of the driving source.
An angle adjusting mechanism which adjusts a rotation angle of a rotatable body rotatable relative to a first rotation shaft, the mechanism comprising:
a driving source; and
an arm which is rockable relative to a second rotation shaft parallel to the first rotation shaft, and which rotates the rotatable body depending on driving output of the driving source.
The angle adjusting mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second rotation shaft is arranged in the vicinity of the first rotation shaft in a state that the second rotation shaft is coaxial or non-coaxial to the first rotation shaft.
The angle adjusting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a portion of the angle adjusting mechanism is arranged within width of the rotatable body.
The angle adjusting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least a portion of each of the arm and the driving source unit is arranged within width of the rotatable body.
The angle adjusting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the driving source is overlapped with the arm in an extending direction of the second rotation shaft.
The angle adjusting mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a deceleration mechanism which transmits the driving output of the driving source to the arm.
The angle adjusting mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the deceleration mechanism includes a worm gear.
A display apparatus which performs display by reflecting a light irradiated from a display device with a mirror and projecting the reflected light on a wind shield of a vehicle, the display apparatus comprising the angle adjusting mechanism as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8,
wherein the rotatable body is the mirror.
A display apparatus which performs display by projecting a light irradiated from a display device on a combiner, the display apparatus comprising the angle adjusting mechanism as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8,
wherein the rotatable body is the combiner.
A rotatable body unit comprising:
a rotatable body having a plate-like shape;
a supporting unit which supports the rotatable body to be rotatable about a first axis; and
an angle adjusting mechanism which causes the rotatable body to rotate,
wherein the angle adjusting mechanism includes an arm rockable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a driving source which rocks the arm;
the rotatable body is rotated by being pressed by the arm; and
at least a portion of the angle adjusting mechanism is arranged, in a direction of the first axis, at a position same as a position of a portion of the rotatable body.
The rotatable body unit according to claim 11, wherein entirety of the angle adjusting mechanism is arranged, in the direction of the first axis, at the position same as the position of the portion of the rotating body.
The rotatable body unit according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the rotatable body is a concave mirror or a combiner.