Virtual or augmented reality headsets having adjustable interpupillary distance

• US 9,470,906 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: Kaji, Masamune, Slipy, Michael John, Natsume, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US14/516,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20150103306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 351124-135, 351/158, 351/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• 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 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/04 with adjustable means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/045 for varying the horizontal distance of the lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/08 foldable
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A virtual or augmented reality headset is provided having a frame, a pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces, and an interpupillary distance adjustment mechanism. The frame includes opposing arm members, a bridge positioned intermediate the opposing arm members, and one or more linear rails. The adjustment mechanism is coupled to the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces and operable to simultaneously move the eyepieces in adjustment directions aligned with the plurality of linear rails to adjust the interpupillary distance of the eyepieces.

Claims

1. A virtual or augmented reality headset, comprising:

a frame including opposing arm members, a bridge positioned intermediate the opposing arm members, and a plurality of linear rails, at least one linear rail provided at each of opposing sides of the frame defined by a central reference plane;

a pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces each having an optical center, the pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces movably coupled to the plurality of linear rails to enable adjustment of an interpupillary distance between the optical centers;

a pair of pins which slideably couple respective ones of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces to respective ones of the opposing arm members between a temple region and an ear region of the respective one of the opposing arm members such that each of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces is slidably supported by a respective one of the linear rails and a respective one of the pins; and

an adjustment mechanism coupled to both of the pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces and operable to simultaneously move the pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces in adjustment directions aligned with the plurality of linear rails to adjust the interpupillary distance.

2. The headset of claim 1 wherein the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces are movable between a narrowest configuration and a widest configuration, and wherein a difference between the interpupillary distance in the widest configuration and the interpupillary distance in the narrowest configuration is between about 20 mm and about 24 mm.

3. The headset of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the bridge and includes a manipulable actuator coupled to the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces for selectively adjusting a linear position of each of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces simultaneously.

4. The headset of claim 1 wherein the frame further includes a lock to selectively fix the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces in a selected linear position along the plurality of linear rails.

5. The headset of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a manipulable actuator manually operable by a user and one or more links physically coupling the manipulable actuator to the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces.

6. The headset of claim 5, further comprising:

a selectively removable cover that is selectively positionable to alternatively prevent access to the manipulable actuator and to provide access to the manipulable actuator by the user.

7. The headset of claim 6 wherein the manipulable actuator is constrained to translate back and forth in directions perpendicular to the adjustment directions aligned with the plurality of linear rails, and wherein movement of the manipulable actuator in one direction moves the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces toward an expanded configuration and movement of the manipulable actuator in the opposite direction moves the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces toward a collapsed configuration.

8. The headset of claim 6 wherein the manipulable actuator is accessible to the user while the headset is worn.

9. The headset of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes one or more linear actuators.

10. The headset of claim 9 wherein the one or more linear actuators comprise at least one piezoelectric linear actuator.

11. The headset of claim 1 wherein the bridge includes a nosepiece to engage a nose of a user and support the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces in front of the user'"'"'s eyes.

12. The headset of claim 11 wherein the bridge further includes a base portion, and wherein the nosepiece is removably coupleable to the base portion to selectively lock the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces in a selected position.

13. The headset of claim 1 wherein each virtual or augmented reality eyepiece is arcuate and includes a medial end and a lateral end, the medial end positioned proximate the bridge of the frame and the lateral end positioned proximate a temple region of a respective one of the opposing arm members.

14. The headset of claim 13 wherein the frame includes a respective arcuate profile on each of opposing sides of the central reference plane to at least partially nest with a respective one of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces when the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces are in a narrowest configuration in which the interpupillary distance is at a minimum.

15. The headset of claim 13 wherein the plurality of linear rails include at least two linear rails on each of the opposing sides of the frame to guide a respective one of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces, and wherein, for each of the opposing sides of the frame, a first one of the linear rails is located proximate the bridge to guide the medial end of the respective virtual or augmented reality eyepiece and a second one of the linear rails is located proximate the temple region to guide the lateral end of the respective virtual or augmented reality eyepiece.

16. The headset of claim 1 wherein each of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces are coupled to at least two linear rails that are offset fore and aft from each other.

17. The headset of claim 1 wherein the plurality of linear rails include at least two linear rails on each of the opposing sides of the frame to guide a respective one of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces, and wherein, for each of the opposing sides of the frame, the two linear rails are located proximate the bridge to guide a medial end of the respective virtual or augmented reality eyepiece and support the respective virtual or augmented reality eyepiece in a cantilevered manner.

18. The headset of claim 1 wherein the plurality of linear rails include at least two linear rails on each of the opposing sides of the frame vertically offset from each other to guide a respective one of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces.

19. The headset of claim 18 wherein, for each of the opposing sides of the frame, the at least two linear rails and the arm member form a fork structure.

20. The headset of claim 18 wherein, for each of the opposing sides of the frame, the two linear rails and a portion of the bridge form a fork structure that supports the respective one of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces.

21. The headset of claim 1 wherein each of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces are supported by a single respective linear rail underlying the eyepiece.

22. The headset of claim 1 wherein the bridge and the plurality of rails of the frame are integrally formed as a single-piece.

23. The headset of claim 1 wherein the bridge, the opposing arm members and the plurality of rails of the frame are integrally formed as a single-piece.

24. The headset of claim 1 wherein the frame further includes a central frame portion comprising the bridge, and wherein the opposing arm members are hingedly connected to the central frame portion.

25. The headset of claim 1 wherein the at least one linear rail provided at each of the opposing sides of the frame each form a portion of a composite linear rail that extends from one of the opposing sides to the other.

26. The head set of claim 1 wherein each of the pins is attached to the respective one of the opposing arm members and the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces each slideably receive the respective one of the pins via at least one aperture.

27. The head set of claim 26 wherein each of the pins is attached to the respective one of the opposing arm members and the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces each slideably receive respective ones of the pins via at least one aperture in the opposing arm members.

28. The head set of claim 27 wherein each of the pins is attached to the respective one of the opposing arm members and the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces each slideably receive respective ones of the pins via a respective bushing located in a respective aperture in the opposing arm members.

29. The head set of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a recessed dial pivotally mounted to rotate about a rotation axis that extends outward from a front of the head set parallel each of a respective principal optical axis of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces.

30. The head set of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a cover releasably attachable to selectively prevent and allow access to the recessed dial.

31. A virtual or augmented reality headset, comprising:

a frame including opposing arm members, a bridge positioned intermediate the opposing arm members, and a linear rail that extends across the bridge from one side of the frame to an opposing side of the frame;

a pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces each having an optical center, the pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces movably coupled to the linear rail to enable adjustment of an interpupillary distance between the optical centers;

a pair of pins which slideably couple respective ones of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces to respective ones of the opposing arm members between a temple region and an ear region of the respective one of the opposing arm members such that each of the virtual or augmented reality eyepieces is slidably supported by the linear rail and a respective one of the pins; and

an adjustment mechanism coupled to both of the pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces and operable to simultaneously move the pair of virtual or augmented reality eyepieces in adjustment directions aligned with the linear rail to adjust the interpupillary distance.