# US 11,906,735 B2 · Head-up display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,735 B2 - Document ID: US11906735B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/302,372 - Filed: 2023-04-18 - Published: 2023-08-17 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-22 - Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yuri Hamada; Kazuomi Murakami; Takanobu Toyoshima; Hideaki Yamamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906735B2 ## CPC - G02B 27/0101: {characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence)} - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/232: controlling the projection distance of virtual images depending on the condition of the vehicle or the driver - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - G02B 27/01: Head-up displays - G02B 27/0983: {being curved} - G02B 27/106: {for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication} - G02B 2027/0118: {comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility} - G02B 2027/0185: {Displaying image at variable distance} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES ## Abstract A head-up display device (10) includes one picture generation unit (20) that emits both first light (L1) and second light (L2) and includes an optical path adjuster (40) disposed in an optical path of at least one of the first light (L1) and the second light (L2) and having light transmission properties and substantially zero optical power. The optical path adjuster (40) gradually separates the first light (L1) and the second light (L2) as compared with a state before at least one of the first light (L1) and the second light (L2) enters the optical path adjuster (40) in such a manner that the first light (L1) creates a first virtual image (V1) in a position closer to an operator and the second light (L2) creates a second virtual image (V2) in a position farther from the operator than the first virtual image (V1). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A head-up display device configured to display a first virtual image in front of an operator's point of view and a second virtual image in a position farther than the first virtual image, the head-up display device comprising: one picture generation unit configured to emit first light which creates the first virtual image and second light which creates the second virtual image; a prism disposed on an optical path of the second light; a first convex mirror configured to reflect the first light; a second convex mirror configured to reflect the second light; and one concave mirror configured to reflect the first light reflected from the first convex mirror and the second light reflected from the second convex mirror toward a windshield. ### Claim 2 A head-up display device comprising: one picture generation unit configured to emit both first light and second light; an optical path adjuster disposed on an optical path of at least one of the first light and the second light and having a light transmission property and substantially zero optical power; the optical path adjuster being configured to gradually separate the first light and the second light as compared with a state before at least one of the first light and the second light enters the optical path adjuster in such a manner that the first light creates a first virtual image in a position closer to an operator and the second light creates a second virtual image in a position farther from the operator than the first virtual image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The head-up display device according to claim 2 comprising a reflector configured to reflect both the first light and the second light and allow each light to reach a point of view of the operator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The head-up display device according to claim 3, wherein the reflector includes a first reflector and a second reflector, and the first light and the second light are reflected from the first reflector and the second reflector in order. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The head-up display device according to claim 4, wherein the first light travels through an optical path from the picture generation unit to the first reflector not intersecting an optical path of the second light from the picture generation unit to the first reflector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The head-up display device according to claim 5 comprising an intersection in which the optical path of the first light from the picture generation unit to the first reflector and an optical path of the second light from the first reflector to the second reflector intersect. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The head-up display device according to claim 6, wherein the optical path adjuster is disposed on the optical path of the second light from the picture generation unit to the first reflector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The head-up display device according to claim 4, wherein the first reflector includes a first convex mirror configured to reflect the first light and a second convex mirror configured to reflect the second light, and the second reflector includes one concave mirror configured to reflect both the first light and the second light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The head-up display device according to claim 2, wherein the optical path adjuster reduces an amount of infrared light emitted from the optical path adjuster to less than an amount of the infrared light before the infrared light enters the optical path adjuster.