Image display apparatus

• US 6,474,809 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ueda, Hiroaki, Tanijiri, Yasushi, Ishibashi, Kenji, Noda, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US09/941,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20020036751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 351/216, 351/220, 351/41, 351/155, 351/231, 348/341, 359/15, 359/19, 359/487, 359/488, 359/631, 359/633
• US Class Current: 351/41
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0196 having transparent supporting structure for display mounting, e.g. to a window or a windshield
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

An image display apparatus has a display section for displaying an image, an eyepiece optical system, and a transparent plate-shaped member for holding the eyepiece optical system. The image display apparatus is used with the eyepiece optical system placed in front of a viewer'"'"'s eyes and with the plate-shaped member facing the eyes. The image display apparatus directs light from the display section through the eyepiece optical system to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with a virtual image of the image displayed on the display section and simultaneously permits light from the outside world to be transmitted through the plate-shaped member so as to be directed to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with an image of the outside world. The boundary surface between the eyepiece optical system and the plate-shaped member is so arranged as not to reflect light from the outside world incident thereon at angles of incidence greater than the Brewster angle toward the eyes.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus comprising a display section for displaying an image, an eyepiece optical system, and a transparent plate-shaped member for holding the eyepiece optical system, the image display apparatus being used with the eyepiece optical system placed in front of a viewer'"'"'s eyes and with the plate-shaped member facing the eyes, the image display apparatus directing light from the display section via the eyepiece optical system to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with a virtual image of the image displayed on the display section and simultaneously permitting light from an outside world to be transmitted through the plate-shaped member so as to be directed to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with an image of the outside world,

wherein a boundary surface between the eyepiece optical system and the plate-shaped member is so arranged as not to reflect light from the outside world incident thereon at an angle of incidence greater than a Brewster angle toward the eyes.

2. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a boundary surface between the eyepiece optical system and ambient air is so arranged as not to reflect light from the outside world incident thereon at an angle of incidence greater than a Brewster angle toward the eyes.

3. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a boundary surface between the plate-shaped member and ambient air is so arranged as not to reflect light from the outside world incident thereon at an angle of incidence greater than a Brewster angle toward the eyes.

4. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the plate-shaped member comprises a first plate-shaped component piece and a second plate-shaped component piece, and a boundary surface between the first and second plate-shaped component pieces is so arranged as not to reflect light from the outside world incident thereon at an angle of incidence greater than a Brewster angle toward the eyes.

5. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the first and second plate-shaped component pieces are in direct contact with each other, and the first and second plate-shaped component pieces have equal refractive indices.

6. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the first and second plate-shaped component pieces are cemented together with adhesive, and the first and second plate-shaped component pieces and the adhesive have equal refractive indices.

7. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the boundary surface is slanted at such an angle with respect to the eyes as to reflect light from the outside world incident thereon at an angle of incidence greater than a Brewster angle in a direction other than a direction leading to the eyes.

8. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 7,

wherein the plate-shaped member has a slit formed inside, and the eyepiece optical system is so formed as to fill the slit formed inside the plate-shaped member.

9. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the eyepiece optical system and the plate-shaped member are in direct contact with each other, and the eyepiece optical system and the plate-shaped member have equal refractive indices.

10. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the eyepiece optical system and the plate-shaped member are cemented together with adhesive, and the eyepiece optical system, the plate-shaped member, and the adhesive have equal refractive indices.

11. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the plate-shaped member is so configured that the light from the display section is introduced into the plate-shaped member through an edge portion thereof and is then reflected between boundary surfaces between the plate-shaped member and ambient air so as to be directed to the eyepiece optical system.

12. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 11,

wherein the plate-shaped member has a reflective hologram element provided at a boundary surface between the plate-shaped member and ambient air, the reflective hologram element reflecting the light from the display section incident through the edge portion of the plate-shaped member and simultaneously transmitting the light from the outside world.

13. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the eyepiece optical system is a reflective hologram element that reflects the light from the display section and simultaneously transmits the light from the outside world.

14. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the plate-shaped member has an optical power.

15. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a mounting member for mounting the image display apparatus on a head of the viewer.

16. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boundary surface is substantially planar.

17. An image display apparatus comprising a display section for displaying an image, an eyepiece optical system, and a transparent plate-shaped member for holding the eyepiece optical system, the image display apparatus being used with the eyepiece optical system placed in front of a viewer'"'"'s eyes and with the plate-shaped member facing the eyes, the image display apparatus directing light from the display section through the eyepiece optical system to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with a virtual image of the image displayed on the display section and simultaneously permitting light from an outside world to be transmitted through the plate-shaped member so as to be directed to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with an image of the outside world,

wherein the eyepiece optical system comprises two or more hologram elements, of which at least a last-stage one is held by the plate-shaped member.

18. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 17,

wherein the plate-shaped member is so configured that the light from the display section is introduced into the plate-shaped member through an edge portion thereof and is then reflected between boundary surfaces between the plate-shaped member and ambient air so as to be directed to the last-stage hologram element of the eyepiece optical system.

19. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 18,

wherein the plate-shaped member has a reflective hologram element provided at a boundary surface between the plate-shaped member and ambient air, the reflective hologram element reflecting the light from the display section incident through the edge portion of the plate-shaped member and simultaneously transmitting the light from the outside world, the reflective hologram element being shared as one of the hologram elements constituting the eyepiece optical system other than the last-stage one.

20. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 17,

wherein the last-stage hologram element of the eyepiece optical system is a reflective hologram element that reflects the light from the display section and simultaneously transmits the light from the outside world.

21. An image display apparatus comprising a display section for displaying an image, an eyepiece optical system, and a transparent plate-shaped member for holding the eyepiece optical system, the image display apparatus being used with the eyepiece optical system placed in front of a viewer'"'"'s eyes and with the plate-shaped member facing the eyes, the image display apparatus directing light from the display section through the eyepiece optical system to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with a virtual image of the image displayed on the display section and simultaneously permitting light from an outside world to be transmitted through the plate-shaped member so as to be directed to the eyes so that the viewer is presented with an image of the outside world,

wherein a coating portion is provided to coat a plurality of members exposed on a surface of the plate-shaped member facing the viewer'"'"'s eyes.

22. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 21,

wherein the coating portion is formed by resin molding.

23. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 21,

wherein the coating portion is formed out of an optical film.

24. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 21,

wherein the coating portion is formed integrally with the plate-shaped member.