Virtual image display apparatus with registration mechanism

• US 9,678,344 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Komatsu, Akira, Takagi, Masayuki, Takeda, Takashi, Totani, Takahiro, Miyao, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOKHAM, JAMES S
• Application Number:
  US13/783,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 359473, 359630-631, 359507, 313524, 353 69, 348 54, 34833301, 473210, 473268
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A wearer of a virtual image display apparatus can adjust the position of the virtual image display apparatus relative to the position of each of the wearer'"'"'s eyes by using a registration mechanism while checking a marker member that is a positioning member, whereby an optimum adjusted position is readily achieved. Further, registration according to person-to-person differences in the position of each of the eyes can be readily achieved, whereby it is not necessary to increase the light flux width of image light in advance or provide the image light with a margin so that the wearer can recognize an image even when the position of the eye deviates from a normal position to some extent, and the size of the apparatus will not increase.

Claims

1. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

a virtual image formation unit that not only transmits environment light but also forms a virtual image from image light;

a positioning member that is attached in a predetermined position corresponding to a standard position of an optical system of the virtual image formation unit, the positioning member displaying a marker that allows a wearer in an apparatus worn state in which the wearer is wearing the virtual image formation unit to recognize the standard position and hence works as an index for positioning; and

a registration mechanism that moves the optical system of the virtual image formation unit and the positioning member attached to the optical system to adjust the position of the virtual image formation unit relative to a wearer'"'"'s eye,

wherein the positioning member is detachably provided in the predetermined position, the positioning member being detachable without detaching the optical system.

2. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the registration mechanism is capable of making the adjustment in the apparatus worn state at least in a direction of an interpupillary distance of the wearer.

3. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the registration mechanism is capable of making the adjustment along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis in a direction perpendicular to the interpupillary distance direction.

4. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the virtual image formation unit includes a projection system that projects the image light from an image display section and a light guide unit having the following portions and forms the virtual image from the image light:

a light incident portion that introduces the image light through the projection system into the light guide unit;

a light guide portion that guides the image light introduced through the light incident portion; and

a light exiting portion that extracts the image light having passed through the light guide portion out of the light guide unit, and

the registration mechanism moves both the projection system and the light guide unit or at least the light guide unit along with the positioning member.

5. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the virtual image formation unit includes a signal light modulator that forms signal light modulated in accordance with an image, a scan system that scans the modulated signal light and outputs the modulated signal light as scanned light, and an irradiated member irradiated with the scanned light from the scan system to form a virtual image from the image light, and

the registration mechanism moves all the signal light modulator, the scan system, and the irradiated member or at least the irradiated member along with the positioning member.

6. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the wearer is allowed to recognize the wearer'"'"'s eye and the positioning member via a mirror member disposed to face the wearer'"'"'s eye on the opposite side of the positioning member to the wearer'"'"'s eye in an optical axis direction.

7. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the positioning member displays a physical marker that allows the wearer to recognize the standard position, and

the virtual image formation unit forms a video image marker that displays a range of a displayed image recognized by the wearer as a virtual image formed from the image light in such a way that the wearer can compare the range with the physical marker.

8. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the registration mechanism has groove-shaped and protrusion-shaped positioning portions discretely arranged at fixed intervals in a direction in which the adjustment is made.

9. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8,

further comprising an information storage section that stores information on the adjusted position discretely determined by using the positioning portions of the registration mechanism and an information display section capable of displaying the information stored in the information storage section to allow the wearer to look at the displayed information.

10. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the positioning member is attached in the predetermined position based on the standard position defined to be a position through which the optical axis of the optical system of the virtual image formation unit passes.

12. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the positioning member is a transparent member that is attached to the virtual image formation unit in the predetermined position, and

the positioning member works as the index in a positional adjustment of the virtual image formation unit.

13. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the marker is a physical marker drawn on the positioning member.

11. A position adjustment method used with a virtual image display apparatus including a virtual image formation unit that not only transmits environment light but also forms a virtual image from image light, a positioning member that is attached in a predetermined position corresponding to a standard position of an optical system of the virtual image formation unit, the positioning member displaying a marker that allows a wearer in an apparatus worn state in which the wearer is wearing the virtual image formation unit to recognize the standard position and hence works as an index for positioning, a registration mechanism that moves the optical system of the virtual image formation unit and the positioning member attached to the optical system to adjust the position of the virtual image formation unit relative to a wearer'"'"'s eye, and

an information storage section that stores information on an adjusted position provided in the adjustment made by the registration mechanism, the method comprising:

displaying the standard position by using the positioning member to allow the wearer to recognize a discrepancy between the standard position and the position of the wearer'"'"'s eye; and

storing information on the adjusted position provided in the adjustment made by the registration mechanism based on the standard position displayed in the standard position display in the information storage section,

wherein the positioning member is detachably provided in the predetermined position, the positioning member being detachable without detaching the optical system.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the positioning member is a transparent member that is attached to the virtual image formation unit in the predetermined position, and

the positioning member works as the index in a positional adjustment of the virtual image formation unit.

15. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the marker is a physical marker drawn on the positioning member.