Optical device having a light transmitting substrate with external light coupling means

• US 9,664,910 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
• Inventors: Mansharof, Mali, Amitai, Yaakov
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavarias, Arnel C
• Application Number:
  US14/670,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 359633, 359629, 359618, 359630, 359631, 359632, 359636, 359637, 359638, 359639, 359640, 359 1, 359 15, 359 19, 359 13, 385129, 385133, 353 20, 353 22, 353 30, 353 34, 353 38, 353 81, 353 82, 362600, 362615, 362621, 362623, 362625, 362626, 348115
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 operating by reflection only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/286 for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings

Abstract

An optical device, includes a light-transmitting substrate having an input aperture and first and second major surfaces parallel to each other and edges, one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate which is non-parallel to the major surfaces of the substrate and an external optical arrangement having an output aperture optically attached to the input aperture of the substrate with the part of the substrate located next to the substrate input aperture, being substantially transparent.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising:

a light-transmitting substrate having an input aperture and at least first and second major surfaces parallel to each other and edges;

at least one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate which is oriented at an off-axis angle with respect to a normal to the major surfaces of the substrate;

a display source producing image light waves;

optical means including at least one reflecting surface for coupling light waves from the display source into the substrate, by total internal reflection;

at least one imaging lens, having at least two surfaces,

wherein the reflecting surface is oriented at an angle to the major surfaces of the substrate, such that the angle of coupled waves inside the substrate is larger than the off-axis angle of the partially reflecting surface, and the off-axis angle of the partially reflecting surface is larger than 50°

.

2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the optical means includes at least one transparent prism having a plurality of surfaces.

3. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein one of the surfaces of the transparent prism is constituted by the reflecting surface.

4. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein one of the surfaces of the transparent prism is optically attached to one of the major surfaces of the substrate.