Head mounted display system

• US 6,157,291 A
• Filed: 10/11/1994
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vision Newco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virtual Vision, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pace, John W., Rivera, Fredrick W., Robinson, Joel W., Siverts, Wendie L., Shimasaki, Kevin W., Shankle, Steven J., Kuenster, Gordon B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US08/320,782
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• Field of Search: 345/8, 345/7, 351/8, 351/158, 351/50, 353/122, 359/630, 359/13, 359/618, 340/980
• 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 2027/0158 with adjustable nose pad
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0159 with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0181 Adaptation to the pilot/driver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

A head mounted display system is shown that is modular such that various components of the system are removably mounted and/or adjustably mounted on a frame that is supported on a user'"'"'s head. The head mounted display system can thus accommodate different users and components of different configurations. In particular, the display system includes a mirror through which a displayed image is viewed, the position of the mirror being adjustable and the mirror being removable from the frame of the display system. The display system further includes a nose piece that is adjustably mounted on the frame so as to allow the distance between the frame member supporting the display and a nose bridge to be varied. The nose piece is further completely removable from the frame of the display system so as to allow the display system to accommodate a user wearing conventional glasses. The display system also includes removable earphones and removable earphone retainers disposed on the temples of the display system. The hinges connecting the temples to the frame of the display system are removable and further include wire retaining members so as to maintain the earphone wire, if present, adjacent to the temple of the display system.

Claims

1. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a reflector that receives displayed information to allow a user to view the displayed information by viewing the reflector;

a frame for supporting the display and the reflector on a user'"'"'s head; and

a optical path adjusting system for allowing an optical path defined by the relative position of the reflector, the display and an eye of the user to be adjusted relative to at least two axes of the head mounted display system.

2. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical path adjusting system includes an adjustable mounting for said reflector.

3. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical path adjusting system includes a mounting for said reflector to allow said reflector to rotate about a first axis.

4. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical path adjusting system includes means for varying the distance between the display and the user'"'"'s eye.

5. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical path adjusting system includes means for varying the distance between the reflector and the user'"'"'s eye.

6. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical path adjusting system includes a nosepiece that is adjustably mounted relative to said frame to allow said frame to be raised and lowered relative to a user'"'"'s nose.

7. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a reflector that receives displayed information to allow a user to view the displayed information by viewing the reflector; and

a frame for supporting the display and the reflector, said frame having a frame member on which said display is mounted and a nose piece movably mounted relative to said frame member to allow the distance between the frame member and the user'"'"'s nose to be varied to adjust an optical path defined by the relative position of the display, reflector and the user'"'"'s eye.

8. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said frame member includes a vertically extending receptacle.

9. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 8 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of vertically aligned apertures in said recess and said flange includes at least one protrusion extending therefrom and receivable in a plurality of said apertures.

10. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 8 wherein said nose piece is removable to allow said display system to be worn over a pair of glasses such that said frame member rests on the glasses.

11. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said reflector is movable to vary an optical path defined by the relative position of the display, the reflector and the user'"'"'s eye.

12. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said nose piece is removable to allow said display system to be worn over a pair of glasses such that said frame member rests on the glasses.

13. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 12 wherein said reflector is movable to vary an optical path defined by the relative position of the display, the reflector and the user'"'"'s eye.

14. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said frame includes at least one transparency and said reflector is mounted on said transparency.

15. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 14 wherein said reflector is pivotably mounted on said transparency to allow said reflector to be pivoted about an axis.

16. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said nose piece includes a nose bridge holder mounted on said frame member and a nose piece bridge movably mounted on said nose piece holder to allow the distance between the frame member and the user'"'"'s nose to be varied.

17. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 16 wherein said nose bridge holder includes a generally vertically extending member and a plurality of vertically aligned mounting members disposed on said vertical member and said nose bridge includes a flange extending upwardly from a downwardly curved nose rest member, said flange including at least one engaging member for engaging a different one of said vertically aligned mounting members in each of a plurality of different nose piece mounting positions.

18. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 16 wherein said nose bridge holder includes a vertically extending receptacle, said nose piece includes a curved member for resting on a user'"'"'s nose and flange extending upwardly from said curved member and receivable in said receptacle;

and means for locking said flange into one of a plurality of positions in said recess wherein the flange extends into said recess by different amounts for each of said positions.

19. A head mounted display system recited in claim 18 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of vertically aligned apertures in said recess and said flange includes at least one protrusion extending therefrom and receivable in a plurality of said apertures.

20. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 16 wherein said nose bridge holder is removably mounted on said frame member.

21. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a reflector that receives displayed information to allow a user to view the displayed information by viewing the reflector; and

a frame for supporting the display and the reflector on a user'"'"'s head, said frame having a frame member on which said display is mounted and said frame member having a longitudinally extending recess disposed between an inner edge and an outer edge of said frame member for receiving an upper edge of a frame of a pair of glasses and a nose piece for supporting the frame on a user'"'"'s face, said nose piece being removable to allow said frame member to rest on a pair of glasses with an upper edge of a frame of the glasses extending into said recess.

22. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 21 including at least one transparency mounted in said frame member, said reflector being mounted on said transparency.

23. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 21 wherein said reflector is pivotably mounted on said frame member to allow said reflector to pivot about an axis.

24. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 21 wherein said recess is disposed between said inner edge of said frame member and said display.

25. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a frame for supporting said display on a user'"'"'s head, said display being fixedly mounted on said frame;

means for collimating light to project an enlarged image of said displayed information at a distance from the user, said collimating means being removably mounted on said frame independently of said display to allow replacement of said collimating means without removal of said display.

26. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 25 wherein said frame includes a transparency and said collimating means is removably mounted on the transparency.

27. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 25 wherein said collimating means includes a reflector and further including a support mounted on said frame, said reflector being mounted in said support for pivotal movement about an axis and said reflector being removable from said support.

28. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 25 wherein said collimating means includes a reflector and further including a support removably mounted on said frame, said reflector being mounted in said support for pivotal movement about an axis.

29. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a frame for supporting said display on a user'"'"'s head, said display being fixedly mounted on said frame; and

a reflector for projecting an enlarged image of said displayed information at a distance from the user, the image being viewed through the reflector and the reflector being removably mounted on said frame independently of said display to allow replacement of said reflector without removal of said display.

30. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 29 wherein said frame includes a transparency and said reflector is removably mounted on the transparency.

31. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 30 wherein said transparency incudes an aperture disposed therein and further including a support member on which said reflector is mounted, said support member having a base with a protrusion extending therefrom said protrusion snapping into said aperture to mount said support member on said transparency.

32. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 31 wherein said reflector is pivotably mounted in said support member.

33. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 30 wherein said temple includes at least one longitudinally extending guide member and said earphone retaining member is slidable along said guide member.

34. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 29 further including a support mounted on said frame said reflector being mounted in said support for pivotal movement about an axis and said reflector being removable from said support.

35. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 29 further including a support removably mounted on said frame, said reflector being mounted in said support for pivotal movement about an axis.

36. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

optics for collimating light to project an enlarged image of said displayed information at a distance from the user to allow said displayed information to be viewed by a user;

a frame for supporting the display and the optics on a user'"'"'s head said frame including a pair of temples;

at least one earphone to project audio information; and

at least one earphone retaining member mounted on one of said temples to retain the earphone when the earphone is not in use, said earphone being removable from said retaining member when said earphone is in use.

37. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 36 wherein said earphone retaining member is removably mounted on said temple and said earphone is coupled to an electrical connector for connection with a mating connector disposed on said frame to allow said earphone to be removable.

38. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 37 wherein said earphone is coupled to said connector via a wire and said temple includes a hinge and said hinge includes means for retaining said wire adjacent said temple.

39. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 38 wherein said hinge includes an elongated member curved inwardly and slightly flexible so as to maintain the temple on users'"'"' heads of various sizes.

40. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 38 wherein said wire retaining means includes a plurality of wire retaining members to allow said wire to be removably retained therein.

41. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 36 wherein said optics include a reflector that is viewed by the user to view said image.

42. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

optics for collimating light to project an enlarged image of said displayed information at a distance from the user to allow said displayed information to be viewed by the user;

a frame for supporting said display and said optics on a user'"'"'s head, said frame including;

a frame member on which said display is mounted, said frame member having an outer edge, a longitudinally extending recess adjacent said outer edge and a plurality of transparency retaining members disposed in said recess along the length thereof;

at least one transparency on which said optics is removably mounted, said transparency having an upper edge with a plurality of hook portions formed therein, the hook portions having openings facing one direction, said upper edge being received in said recess and said hook portions engaging respective transparency retaining members in said recess to removably mount said transparency in said frame member.

43. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 42 wherein said transparency is reversible.

44. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 42 wherein said optics include a reflector that is viewed by the user to view said image, said reflector being mounted on said transparency.

45. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 44 wherein said reflector is mounted on a reflector support, said reflector support is mounted on said transparency and said transparency includes at least one retaining aperture formed therein for engaging said reflector support so as to retain said reflector on said frame.

46. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 45 wherein said transparency includes a first locating aperture and second locating aperture formed therein for engaging said reflector support so as to maintain the position of said reflector support relative to said display.

47. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a transparency;

a frame for supporting said display and transparency on a user'"'"'s head said display being fixedly mounted on said frame and said transparency being removably mounted on said frame; and

optics for collimating light to project an enlarged image of said displayed information at a distance from said user, at least a portion of said optics being removably mounted on said transparency.

48. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 47 wherein said optics include a reflector and said reflector is removably mounted on said transparency.

49. A head mounted display system as recited in claim 47 wherein said transparency is removably mounted in said frame.

50. A head mounted display system comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a transparency;

a frame for supporting said display on a user'"'"'s head, said display being fixedly mounted on said frame and said transparency being removably mounted on said frame;

optics for collimating light to project an enlarged image of said displayed information at a distance from said user, at least a portion of said optics being removably mounted on said transparencies; and

a nose piece removably mounted on said frame.