Head-mounted image display apparatus

• US 6,215,460 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1994
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mizoguchi, Motoshi, Ito, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao
• Application Number:
  US08/322,749
• Time in Patent Office: 2,372 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 359/13, 359/629, 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/633, 351/158
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0136 with a single image source for both eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/327 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/339 using spatial multiplexing H04N13/337 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

A head-mounted image display apparatus includes optical visual units mounted on a laterally disposed shaft and adjustable so as to be movable toward and away from each other for establishing a correct eye spacing for a user. LCD display panels are mounted within the optical visual units so as to be vertically movable while ocular lenses onto which images displayed by the LCDs are projected via an obliquely arranged mirror are positionally fixed relative the eyes of the user such that focus adjustment will not cause image dropout and so that focus and eye spacing may be established independently of each other. Sliders provided for effecting focus and eye spacing adjustment are mounted such that frictional force is applied thereto for providing smooth but sure movement of the sliders so that a set position of the sliders may be reliably maintained. The sliders may be mounted via self a lubricating mounting to improve adjustment smoothness and slide characteristics.

Claims

1. A head-mounted image display apparatus wherein images from a pair of image display means provided in a device body are respectively provided to left and right eyes of a user in enlarged form, each image passing along an optical path including a reflector means disposed between a respective image display means and an ocular lens corresponding to each respective left and right eye, comprising:

a pair of optical visual units, each visual unit respectively housing one of said image display means, said reflector means and said ocular lenses; and

mounting means for adjustably mounting said pair of optical visual units along a horizontal direction. Wherein said optical visual units are respectively movable toward and away from each other along the horizontal direction, and each of said image display means is independently movable with respect to its respective optical visual unit;

further comprising focusing means for moving each image display means in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction relative to said respective optical visual unit.

2. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises a shaft mounted within said device body to extend in said horizontal direction across a user'"'"'s face, and said optical visual units are movable along said laterally mounted shaft provided in said device body.

3. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ocular lenses respectively oppose said left and right eyes of said user at a fixed, predetermined distance therefrom, whereby image dropout may be avoided.

4. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including backlighting means operable such that illumination from a single light source is utilized for uniformly irradiating each of said image display means.

5. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said backlighting means is mounted above said optical visual units.

6. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical visual units are separable along the horizontal direction in a range between a first shorter separation distance and a second longer separation distance.

7. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first shorter separation distance is established at 55 mm and said second longer separation distance is established at 75 mm.

8. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each reflector means is respectively mounted obliquely in said optical visual units below said image display means and said ocular lenses are vertically mounted in said optical visual units in a reflective path of said reflector means.

9. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein horizontal movement of said optical visual units and vertical movement of said image display means are independent.

10. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein manual adjustment means for effecting said lateral positional adjustment of said optical visual units and for effecting vertical positional adjustment of said focusing means for said image display means are provided at an outside surface of said device body.

11. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said manual adjustment means comprises a plurality of sliders.

12. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said sliders are slidable in left and right direction along the lateral direction and are provided on horizontally oriented portions of said outer surface of said device body.

13. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said display means comprises a pair of liquid crystal displays.

14. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said pair of liquid crystal displays are of a substantially thin transmission type.

15. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said sliders are mounted via self lubricating materials.

16. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said sliders are mounted via means of applying frictional force such that a predetermined resistance to sliding movement thereof is established.

17. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said device body may be mounted on a head of a user via horizontally extending bows provided on left and right sides thereof.

18. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein a length of said bows is adjustable.

19. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including audio output means.

20. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said audio output means comprises headphone cups provided at left and right sides of said device body.

21. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein said headphone cups are retractably held in retraction mechanisms mounted on left and right sides of said device body.

22. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including input means for supplying image signals to said display means from an external source.

23. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein each of said retraction mechanisms includes a reel biased by a spring for retracting said headphone cup, wherein, said reel further includes a pair of contact terminals for receiving an input audio signal.

24. A head-mounted image display apparatus wherein images from a pair of image display means provided in a device body are respectively provided to left and right eyes of a user in enlarged form, each image passing along an optical path including a reflector means disposed between a respective image display means and an ocular lens corresponding to each respective left and right eye, comprising:

a pair of optical visual units, each visual unit respectively housing one of said image display means, said reflector means and said ocular lenses; and

mounting means for adjustably mounting said pair of optical visual units along a horizontal direction, wherein said optical visual units are respectively movable toward and away from each other along the horizontal direction, and each of said image display means is independently movable with respect to its respective optical visual unit;

wherein,

said optical visual units housing said image display means are tilted relative to each other and to said mounting means such that a convergence angle is present in a viewing direction of a user between a left side mounted one of said display means and a right side mounted one of said display means.

25. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein said convergence angle is established at between 2°

and 8°

.

26. A head-mounted image display apparatus wherein images from a pair of image display means provided in a device body are respectively provided to left and right eyes of a user in enlarged form, each image passing along an optical path including a reflector means disposed between a respective image display means and an ocular lens corresponding to each respective left and right eye, comprising:

a pair of optical visual units, each visual unit respectively housing one of said image display means, said reflector means and said ocular lenses; and

mounting means for adjustably mounting said Pair of optical visual units along a horizontal direction, wherein said optical visual units are respectively movable toward and away from each other along the horizontal direction, and each of said image display means is independently movable with respect to its respective optical visual unit;

wherein a convergence angle in a viewing direction is established by offsetting or tilting display surfaces of said image display means respectively mounted in each of said optical visual units with respect to each other.

27. A head-mounted image display apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said convergence angle is established at between 2°

and 8°

.

28. A head-mounted image display apparatus wherein images from a pair of image display means provided in a device body are respectively provided to left and right eyes of a user in enlarged form, each image passing along an optical path including a reflector means disposed between a respective image display means and an ocular lens corresponding to each respective left and right eye, comprising:

a pair of optical visual units, each visual unit respectively housing one of said image display means, said reflector means and said ocular lenses; and

mounting means for adjustably mounting said pair of optical visual units along a horizontal direction, wherein said optical visual units are respectively movable toward and away from each other along the horizontal direction, and each of said image display means is independently movable with respect to its respective optical visual unit;

further including calibration means connected to said image display means comprising left and right calibration buttons operable such that when a right one of said calibration buttons is depressed a left one of said image display means becomes black and a right one of said image display means displays a test pattern and when a left one of said calibration buttons is depressed a right one of said image display means becomes black and a left one of said image display means displays a test pattern.