Liquid crystal spectacles

• US 4,756,605 A
• Filed: 01/21/1986
• Issued: 07/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Takao, Yamamoto, Hiroyuki, Nakamura, Takeaki, Nishioka, Kimihiko, Tomabechi, Hideo, Kouchi, Toshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Stanley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, TRONG Q
• Application Number:
  US06/820,667
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/44, 351/158, 350/347 V, 350/347 R
• US Class Current: 349/13
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 Variable focal length devices

Abstract

A liquid crystal spectacle includes a pair of liquid crystal lenses and a frame holding the lenses. The frame has a pair of temples and a pair of ear pieces attached individually to the temples. Each ear piece houses a battery for supplying the voltage to the corresponding lens. Each temple houses a regulator circuit for regulating the voltage supplied from the battery to the lens, thereby controlling the refractive index of the lens.

Claims

1. A pair of liquid crystal spectacles, comprising:

a pair of liquid crystal lenses whose refractive indices change when a voltage is applied to the lenses, wherein liquid crystal molecules in the lenses are oriented in a different direction than that in the absence of said voltage;

a frame holding the lenses;

power supply means, contained in the frame, for supplying the voltage to the lenses; and

regulating means for regulating the voltage supplied from the power supply means to the lenses to control the refractive indices of the lenses,

said frame including a pair of rims and brows for holding the liquid crystal lenses, a pair of temples swingably attached at one end to the brow, and a pair of ear pieces attached individually to the other ends of the temples, and said regulating means is housed in the temples, each of said temples being formed of a metal pipe for shielding said regulating means from external electrical noise.

2. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means includes wires for conducting the voltage from the power supply means to the liquid crystal lenses, said wires being electrically connected to the temples.

3. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 2, wherein said regulating means includes a variable resistor for varying the voltage supplied from the power supply means to the liquid crystal lenses, said resistor having a movable end exposed to the outside of the temple and adapted for external operation.

4. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means includes a pair of regulator circuits for separately regulating the voltage applied to the lenses, said regulator circuits being housed in the temples, respectively.

5. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 4, wherein said power supply means includes a pair of power sources for separately supplying the voltage to the lenses.

6. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 5, wherein each of said earpieces includes a holding portion, and said power sources are housed in the holding portions, respectively.

7. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 6, wherein each of said holding portions opens to the outside of the earpiece, and said frame includes lids removably attached to the openings of the holding portions, respectively.

8. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 5, wherein each of said temples includes a holding portion, and said power sources are housed in the holding portions, respectively.

9. The liquid crystal spectacles according to claim 8, wherein each of said holding portions opens to the outside of the temple, and said frame includes lids removably attached to the openings of the holding portions.

10. A pair of liquid crystal spectacles, comprising:

a pair of liquid crystal lenses whose refractive indices change when a voltage is applied to the lenses, wherein liquid crystal molecules in the lenses are oriented in a different direction than that in the absence of said voltage;

a frame holding the lenses;

power supply means, contained in the frame, for supplying the voltage to the lenses; and

regulating means for regulating the voltage supplied from the power supply means to the lenses to control the refractive indices of the lenses,

said power supply means and said regulating means being housed in the frame, and said frame including a shielding portion for containing the regulating means and for shielding the regulating means from external electrical noise.