Head mounted display system with light blocking structure

• US 5,546,099 A
• Filed: 11/14/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vision Newco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virtual Vision, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Quint, Jessica L., Robinson, Joel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/339,634
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 359/13, 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/633, 359/629, 359/610, 359/601, 128/857, 128/858, 128/859, 2/15, 2/428, 2/429, 2/431, 2/6.3, 2/6.7, 2/9, 2/10, 2/426, 2/424, 2/427, 433/136, 433/137, 351/158
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0143 the two eyes not being equipped with identical nor symmetrical optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A head mounted display system includes an eye shade with a central opaque portion to block out light in the central field of view of the user'"'"'s eyes and transparent or semi-transparent side portions on either side of the central portion so as to maintain the user'"'"'s side peripheral vision substantially free from obstruction. A shield may be mounted on the lower peripheral edge of the eye shade so as to block light, water spray and particles from entering the interior of the head mounted display system.

Claims

1. A head mounted display system comprising:

a frame to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a video display for depicting video information mounted on said frame; and

an eyeshade mounted on said frame, said eyeshade having an opaque central portion for blocking light from a central field of view of both of the user'"'"'s eyes, said eyeshade maintaining the side peripheral vision of each of the user'"'"'s eyes substantially unobstructed so that the user'"'"'s eyes may be viewed by an outside observer; and

optics supported by said frame, said optics positioned relative to said display to provide an enlarged image of said video information that is perceived by a user to be at a distance from the user and said optics including at least one optical element viewable by a user to perceive said image, said viewing optical element being mounted on said eyeshade so as to be positioned between said eyeshade and the user'"'"'s face.

2. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said opaque central portion is generally symmetrical about a vertical center line of the eyeshade so as to extend from the center line the same distance into the user'"'"'s right eye field of view as said central blocking portion extends into the user'"'"'s left eye field of view, said blocking portion extending from the centerline to at least an outer edge of said viewing optical element.

3. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said opaque central portion is centered on said eyeshade and is approximately four inches in width.

4. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said eyeshade includes first and second side portions disposed on opposite sides of said opaque central portion wherein said side portions are at least semi-transparent.

5. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 4 wherein said first and second side portions are clear.

6. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 4 wherein said first and second side portions are tinted.

7. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optics is formed of a single optical element.

8. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said blocking means includes an eyeshade and said system further includes a shield mounted on a lower peripheral edge of said eyeshade such that when said system is mounted on the user'"'"'s head said shield extends towards the user'"'"'s face.

9. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 8 wherein said shield is formed of a flexible material.

10. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 8 wherein said shield is formed of a material that blocks out light from entering the system from the bottom thereof.

11. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 8 wherein said shield is formed of a material that is nonabsorbent.

12. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 8 wherein said shield is detachable from said eyeshade.

13. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said source of video information is a liquid crystal display.

14. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said image is viewable by only a single eye of the user.

15. A head mounted display system comprising:

a frame to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a source of video information supported by said frame;

optics supported by said frame, said optics positioned relative to said source of video information to provide an enlarged image of said video information that is perceived by a user to be at a distance from the user and said optics including at least one viewing optical element viewable by a user to perceive said image;

means for blocking out light in the central field of view of both of the user'"'"'s eyes while maintaining the side peripheral vision of each of the user'"'"'s eyes substantially free from obstruction so that the user'"'"'s eyes may be viewed by an outside observer, said viewing optical element being disposed between said blocking means and said user'"'"'s face.

16. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 15 wherein said blocking means includes an eyeshade having a central portion that blocks light and first and second side portions that are at least semi-transparent to light.

17. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 16 wherein said first and second side portions are clear.

18. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 16 wherein said first and second side portions are tinted.

19. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 15 wherein said optics is formed of a single optical element.

20. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 15 wherein said blocking means includes an eyeshade and said system further includes a shield mounted on a lower peripheral edge of said eyeshade such that when said system is mounted on the user'"'"'s head said shield extends towards the user'"'"'s face.

21. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 20 wherein said shield is formed of a flexible material.

22. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 20 wherein said shield is formed of a material that blocks out light from entering the system from the bottom thereof.

23. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 20 wherein said shield is formed of a material that is nonabsorbent.

24. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 20 wherein said shield is detachable from said eyeshade.

25. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 15 wherein said source of video information is a liquid crystal display.

26. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 15 wherein said image is viewable by only a single eye of the user.

27. A head mounted display system comprising:

a frame to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a source of video information supported by said frame;

an eyeshade supported by said frame, said eyeshade having a lower peripheral edge;

optics supported by said frame, said optics positioned relative to said source of video information to provide an enlarged image of said video information that is perceived by a user to be at a distance from the user and said optics including at least one optical element viewable by a user to perceive said image, said viewing optical element being mounted on said eyeshade so as to be positioned between said eyeshade and the user'"'"'s face; and

a shield detachably mounted on said lower peripheral edge of said eyeshade, extending substantially the length of said eyeshade and in towards the user'"'"'s face between said eyeshade and said user'"'"'s face such that said shield is generally perpendicular to said eyeshade, said shield being formed of a flexible material.

28. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 27 wherein said shield includes at least one channel extending adjacent at least one portion of an outer peripheral edge of said shield, said channel accepting at least a portion of said lower peripheral edge of said eyeshade to detachably mount said shield to said eyeshade.

29. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 27 wherein said shield includes first and second spaced channels, generally longitudinally aligned and extending adjacent respective portions of the outer peripheral edge of said shield, said first and second channels accepting respective portions of said lower peripheral eyeshade edge to mount the shield on the eyeshade.

30. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 27 wherein said viewing optical element is movably mounted on said eyeshade so that the position of the optical element can be adjusted and said shield includes an aperture to allow access to said optical element for adjustment thereof.

31. A head mounted display system comprising:

a frame to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a source of video information supported by said frame;

an eyeshade supported by said frame, said eyeshade having a lower peripheral edge;

optics supported by said source of video information to provide an enlarged image of said video information that is perceived by a user to be at a distance from the user and said optics including at least one optical element viewable by a user to perceive said image, said viewing optical element being mounted on said eyeshade so as to be positioned between said eyeshade and the user'"'"'s face;

an adjustment mechanism coupled to said optical element to allow the position of said optical element relative to said source of video information and/or a user'"'"'s eye to be manually adjusted; and

a shield mounted on said lower peripheral edge of said eyeshade and extending substantially the length of said eyeshade and in towards the user'"'"'s face between said eyeshade and the user'"'"'s face, said shield including an aperture therein to allow access to said optical element adjustment mechanism.