Head-mounted carrier for positioning opto-electronic devices in front of the user's eyes

• US 6,212,020 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ECT Eye Control Technique AB
• Original Assignee: ECT Eye Control Technique AB
• Inventors: Peters, Sam, Swartling, Therese, Ericsson, Jonas, Astradsson, Petter, Ahlgren, Urban, Magnusson, Stefan, Edoff, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEYRAFI, SAEED HMT
• Application Number:
  US09/446,644
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 359/815, 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/633, 359/634, 359/636, 359/637, 359/638, 359/639, 345/7, 345/8, 351/156, 2/6.3, 2/410, 2/452
• US Class Current: 359/815
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0158 with adjustable nose pad
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

A head-mounted carrier for supporting an optical apparatus intended to be positioned in front of at least one eye of a user. The carrier being devised such that en elongate member or a cable, preferably comprising electric or optical conductors connected to components of the optical apparatus, is a part of the carrier itself. The cable is arranged to be applied around a part of the head of a user such that the carrier is clamped or strapped to the user'"'"'s head.

Claims

1. A carrier for supporting an optical apparatus a part of which being intended to be positioned in front of at least one eye of a user, said carrier having means for attaching the carrier to the head of the user, wherein said means for attaching the carrier to the head of a user comprises an elongate member for example in the shape of a ribbon or a cable, being devised to be detachably attached over the head of the user such that the carrier is secured on the head by means of said elongate member.

6. The carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein a part of the cable is devised to take on a spiral shape or a screw shape in the absence of a load.

15. A head-mounted picture presentation system, comprising means for presenting a picture to the eye of a user, including a carrier according to claims 1, 4 or 14.

16. A head-mounted gaze control apparatus, comprising means for detecting the gaze direction of an eye, including a carrier according to claims 1, 4 or 14.

2. A carrier for supporting an optical apparatus a part of which being intended to be positioned in front of the eye of a user, said carrier having means for attaching the carrier to the head of the user and a signal conductor being connectable to an optical apparatus mounted on said carrier, wherein

an elongate member preferably in the shape of a flexible cable comprises said signal conductor and being devised to be applicable, as a part of the carrier over a part of the head of user such that the carrier is secured to the head by means of said cable.

3. A carrier for supporting an optical apparatus a part of which being intended to be positioned in front of the eye of a user, said carrier comprising:

a holder for an optical apparatus or for a housing of an optical apparatus; and

a cable having signal conductors being connectable to said optical apparatus, the cable being fastened to the holder and/or to the optical apparatus, and the cable being devised to be applicable, as a part of the carrier, over a part of the head of user such that carrier is secured to the head by means of said cable.

4. A carrier for supporting an optical apparatus a part of which being intended to be positioned in front of the eye of a user, said carrier comprising:

a holder for an optical apparatus or for a housing of an optical apparatus;

a forehead support arranged at the holder for providing a support against the forehead of a user and adjustable position of said optical apparatus in front of an eye of the a user;

a nose support arranged at the holder for providing a weight carrying support against the nose of a user and an adjustable position of said optical apparatus in front of an eye of the a user; and

a cable having electric and/or optical conductors being connectable to said optical apparatus, said cable being devised to be applicable, as a part of the carrier, around a part of the head of a user such that the carrier is clamped to the head and is in contact with the head through the forehead support, the nose support and a part of the cable.

5. The carrier as recited in claim 4, wherein the elongate member or cable further comprises a springing arrangement that together with the elongate member or cable forms an open loop, that is devised to be applied around the head of a user adapting to the current head shape and applying a substantially evenly distributed force against the head.

7. The carrier as recited in claim 4, wherein the nose support is fastened to the holder via the forehead support.

8. The carrier as recited in claim 4, further comprising a back head support connected to the elongate member or cable to the holder or the housing said back head support preferably being devised to clasp around the back head of a user below or above the elongate member or cable when applied around the head of a user.

9. The carrier as recited in claim 4, further comprising a support frame having a front piece that via pivotable joints is connected to symmetrically placed side pieces, wherein the holder the forehead support and the nose support are fastened to the front piece of the support frame and wherein the side pieces each are provided with ear supports and fastening devices for detachable and adjustable fastening of the elongate member or cable, the elongate member or cable being devised to form an open loop between the fastening devices, the size of said loop being adjustable to the current head shape by adjusting the fastening of the elongate member or cable.

10. The carrier as recited in claim 4, wherein the forehead support is pivotably fastened to the holder or the support frame.

11. The carrier as recited in claim 4, wherein the elongate member or cable is provided with at least on flat head contact surface.

12. The carrier as recited in claim 4, further comprising a back head support arranged at the elongate member or cable between the fastening devices.

13. The carrier as recited in claim 4, further comprising a housing for an optical apparatus, said housing being integrated with the holder.

14. A carrier for supporting an optical apparatus intended to be positioned in front of the eye of a user, the carrier being provided with a housing, said carrier comprising:

an elongate member, e.g. a cable, fastened to the housing;

a fastening device mounted on the housing for detachably fastening a nose part of the elongate member;

the elongate member being devised to form an open loop between the fastening points of the housing.