Image display device

• US 7,319,437 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scalar Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scalar Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M.
• Application Number:
  US10/524,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345 7- 9, 359/11, 359/14, 359630-633, 351/157, 349/11, 348/53
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• 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: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence

Abstract

To provide an image display device of the type that presents images in a certain part of the field of vision in which the image display device can be used for prolonged periods of time.

An image display device 1 includes a main body 10 having a shape of a glasses frame, a right-eye display device 20R and a left-eye display device 20L. Each of the right-eye display device 20R and the left-eye display device 20L is for displaying a predetermined image and is provided in such a manner that it is not very clearly visible for a user when the user wearing the main body 10 on his or her head looks straight ahead and that it becomes clearly visible for the user only when the user moves his or her forward-looking eyes away. The user can get a forward field of vision and can see the images displayed on the right-eye display device 20R and the left-eye display device 20L when he or she looks at 45 degrees down. The right-eye display device 20R and the left-eye display device 20L may be fixed to the main body 10 at a spacing corresponding to the distance between the eyes of the user.

Claims

1. An image display device comprising:

a main body that can be worn on the head of a user;

right-eye display means for displaying a predetermined image, said right-eye display means being provided on or in said main body in such a manner that said image is blurred or beyond the visible range of the right eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that said image is caught by the right eye of said user when said user moves his or her straight-looking right eye away; and

left-eye display means for displaying a predetermined image, said left-eye display means being provided on or in said main body in such a manner that said image is blurred or beyond the visible range of the left eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that said image is caught by the left eye of said user when said user moves his or her straight-looking left eye away;

good visibility being obtained for both eyes when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead,

said right-eye display means and/or said left-eye display means being provided in such a manner that they/it can be positioned and fixed to said main body at a certain position or positions suited for the right and left eyes of said user; and

wherein said main body comprises a glasses frame having lower segments corresponding to the right and left eyes, said right-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the right eye whereas said left-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the left eye.

2. The image display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means are provided in such a manner that they can be positioned in a right-and-left direction and fixed depending on the distance between the eyes of said user.

3. The image display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means comprises at least a display screen on which images are shown and an optical system to guide an image shown on said display screen to the eye(s) of said user, each of said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means being formed as an integrated unit.

4. The image display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means, each of which is formed as an integrated unit, are provided in such a manner that they can be positioned in a right-and-left direction and fixed depending on the distance between the eyes of said user.

5. The image display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said optical system comprises a lens for focusing an image displayed on said display screen to the retina of the right or left eye of said user,

said lens being replaceable with another lens according to the vision of the right or left eye of said user in order to appropriately focus said image to the retina of the right or left eye of said user.

6. The image display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said optical system comprises a single lens for focusing an image displayed on said display screen to the retina of the right or left eye of said user,

said lens being provided in such a manner that it can be positioned and fixed at a certain position along an optical path between said display screen and the retina according to the vision of the right or left eye of said user in order to appropriately focus said image to the retina of the right or left eye of said user.

7. The image display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said main body comprises right-eye holding means and left-eye holding means for firmly holding, at appropriate positions, said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means each of which is formed as an integrated unit.

8. The image display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said right-eye holding means and said left-eye holding means comprises two sandwich-holding plates that are arranged up and down in parallel to each other along the length thereof,

each of said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means being provided in such a manner that they can be positioned in a right-and-left direction and fixed depending on the distance between the eyes of said user by means of holding said right-eye display means or said left-eye display means, each of which is formed as an integral unit, between said sandwich-holding plates at an appropriate position along the length thereof.

9. The image display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said right-eye holding means and said left-eye holding means comprises an elastic body that is arranged along said length in at least one of said two sandwich-holding plates.

10. The image display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein

said right-eye display means is provided in such a manner that said image is caught by the right eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head moves his or her straight-looking right eye down at a predetermined angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees, and

said left-eye display means is provided in such a manner that said image is caught by the left eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head moves his or her straight-looking left eye down at a predetermined angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees,

with said right-eye display means or said left-eye display means, each of which is formed as an integrated unit, being held with said right-eye holding means or said left-eye holding means.

11. The image display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical system comprises lenses for focusing an image displayed on said display screen to the retina of the right or left eye of said user,

the central axis of the lens for the right eye generally coinciding with the line of sight of the right eye of said user when the user moves his or her right eye down at said predetermined angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees, and

the central axis of the lens for the left eye generally coinciding with the line of sight of the left eye of said user when the user moves his or her left eye down at said predetermined angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees.

12. The image display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body has a shape of glasses.

13. The image display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said main body comprises a glasses frame having lower segments corresponding to the right and left eyes,

said right-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the right eye whereas said left-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the left eye.

14. The image display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said main body is fitted around lenses of said glasses for the right and left eyes,

said right-eye display means being provided at a lower end of the lens of said glasses for the right eye whereas said left-eye display means being provided at a lower end of the lens of said glasses for the left eye.

15. A display device which is a component of an image display device, said display device serving as right-eye display means or left-eye display means for said image display device, said image display device comprising:

a main body that can be worn on the head of a user;

right-eye display means for displaying a predetermined image, said right-eye display means being provided on or in said main body in such a manner that said image is blurred or beyond the visible range of the right eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that said image is caught by the right eye of said user when said user moves his or her straight-looking right eye away; and

left-eye display means for displaying a predetermined image, said left-eye display means being provided on or in said main body in such a manner that said image is blurred or beyond the visible range of the left eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that said image is caught by the left eye of said user when said user moves his or her straight-looking left eye away;

good visibility being obtained for both eyes when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead,

said right-eye display means and/or said left-eye display means being provided in such a manner it/they can be positioned and fixed to said main body at a certain position or positions suited for the right and left eyes of said user,

said display device comprising at least a display screen on which images are shown and an optical system to guide an image shown on said display screen to the eye(s) of said user, said display device being formed as an integrated unit; and

wherein said main body comprises a glasses frame having lower segments corresponding to the right and left eyes, said right-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the right eye whereas said left-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the left eye.

16. A main body which is a component of an image display device, said main body comprising:

a main body that can be worn on the head of a user;

right-eye display means for displaying a predetermined image, said right-eye display means being provided on or in said main body in such a manner that said image is blurred or beyond the visible range of the right eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that said image is caught by the right eye of said user when said user moves his or her straight-looking right eye away; and

left-eye display means for displaying a predetermined image, said left-eye display means being provided on or in said main body in such a manner that said image is blurred or beyond the visible range of the left eye of said user when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that said image is caught by the left eye of said user when said user moves his or her straight-looking left eye away;

good visibility being obtained for both eyes when said user wearing said main body on his or her head looks straight ahead,

said right-eye display means and/or said left-eye display means being provided in such a manner it/they can be positioned and fixed to said main body at a certain position or positions suited for the right and left eyes of said user, and further comprising;

at least a display screen on which images are shown and an optical system to guide an image shown on said display screen to the eye(s) of said user,

said main body being adapted to be worn on the head of said user,

said main body comprising right-eye holding means and left-eye holding means for firmly holding said right-eye display means and said left-eye display means, each of which is formed as an integrated unit, at appropriate positions; and

wherein said main body comprises a glasses frame having lower segments corresponding to the right and left eyes, said right-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the right eye whereas said left-eye display means being provided on or in said lower segment of said glasses frame that is corresponding to the left eye.