JP2000284215A - Head mounted type display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device which can easily and quickly be changed over to right or left visually checking eye whichever favored. SOLUTION: A display unit 4 fitted on a mount to be mounted on an observer's head comprises a beam splitter 14 which splits image display light L made to exit from a display 11 into display light for right eye La and display light Lb for left eye and also makes both divided display light La, Lb travel in the different directions from each other, and an optical system 17 which can be changed in the arrangement to the mount. The optical system 17 can selectively be arranged at the positions to which the display light for right eye La can be guided the observer's right eye by changing the light path thereof, and the display light for left eye Lb can be guided the observer's left eye by changing the light path thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a head-mounted display device for providing an image visually recognized by one of the left and right eyes, for example, a VR (virtual reality) world forming device, a display device for various data, and rescue. It is suitable for use as a marker for inputting the position of a rescuer or a display device for tracking information in a rescuer tracking system used in a flying boat or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a monocular type head-mounted display device which provides an image visually recognized by one of the left and right eyes of an observer, the image is generally visually recognized only by the right eye. This is because the majority of people have the right eye as the dominant eye.

[0003]

However, for a person who has the left eye as the dominant eye, the use of the head-mounted display device for the right eye imposes a heavy burden on the eyes and the visibility is poor. There is a demand for a head-mounted display device for visual recognition. However, the production of a head-mounted display device dedicated to the left eye, which is in low demand, is not profitable. Also, when a system including a head-mounted display device is used alternately by a right-handed person and a left-eye dominant person, the head-mounted display device is used for the right eye every time the system is used. Or it can be very cumbersome to change for the left eye. For example, in the rescuer tracking system, crew changes are performed on a daily basis,
Replacing the head-mounted display device according to the crew's dominant eye is very time-consuming.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a head mounted display capable of solving the above-mentioned problems.

[0005]

A head-mounted display device according to the present invention includes a mount mounted on the head of an observer and a display unit mounted on the mount, and the display unit includes an image display light. And a beam splitter that splits the image display light emitted from the display into right-eye display light and left-eye display light and advances both split display lights in different directions from each other. An optical system capable of changing the arrangement with respect to the mount, and the optical system changes the optical path of the display light for the right eye to the position guided to the right eye of the observer, and changes the optical path of the display light for the left eye. It is characterized in that it can be selectively arranged at a position leading to the left eye of the observer. According to the configuration of the present invention, since the image display light emitted from the display is split by the beam splitter, only by changing the arrangement of the optical system with respect to the mount, the image can be visually recognized by one eye of the observer. The state can be switched to a state of being visually recognized by the other eye, and the image can be visually recognized by one of the left and right eyes selected by the observer.

The display and the beam splitter are arranged between both eyes of the observer, and the image display light emitted from the display is split by the beam splitter so that the display light for the right eye is directed to the right and the left eye. The display light for the left eye is distributed so as to proceed to the left, and the optical system is moved to the left and right to selectively place it at the position where the light path for the right eye display light is changed and the position where the light path for the left eye display light is changed. Preferably it is possible. Thus, the eyes for visually recognizing an image can be quickly changed only by moving the optical system left and right.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A head mounted display 1 shown in FIG.
Includes a mount 3 attached to the observer's head, and a display unit 4 connected to the mount 3.

The mount 3 may be mounted directly on the head of the observer, or may be mounted via a helmet or the like. In this embodiment, the mount 3 is annular, and is an elastically deformable synthetic resin arc-shaped band member 3a.
And a holding member 3b connecting both ends of the band member 3a.
And fitted around the outer periphery of the observer's head. In addition,
In the present invention, the head is a portion above the neck and includes the face.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the display unit 4 includes a single display 11 for emitting image display light L,
A first mirror 12, a first lens 13, a single beam splitter 14, a second mirror 15, and a third mirror 16
And a single optical system 17 whose arrangement with respect to the mount 3 can be changed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drive signal generator 28 of the display 11 is attached to the rear surface of the mount 3. The driving signal generation unit 28 is connected to a video signal generation source (not shown) via a cable 29 and outputs a driving signal to the display 11 in accordance with the video signal, and can adopt a known configuration. . The video signal generation source is not particularly limited as long as it can generate a video signal, and can be configured by, for example, a computer that outputs a video signal.
The display 11 emits the image display light L corresponding to the drive signal sent from the drive signal generator 28.

The display 11 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device with a backlight or a CRT display. Then, the image display light L is emitted in a downward direction as the viewer goes forward.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first mirror 12, the first lens 13, and the beam splitter 14 are provided.
Is attached to the holding member 3b so as to be arranged above the middle of both eyes when the observer is in the upright state, and the first mirror 12 transmits the image display light L emitted from the display 11 The first lens 13 converges the image display light L reflected by the first mirror 12 and travels downward by reflection.
Divides the image display light L passing through the first lens 13 into right-eye display light La and left-eye display light Lb, and causes the split display lights La and Lb to travel in different directions. In the present embodiment, the beam splitter 14 causes the right-eye display light La to travel rightward to the observer, and the left-eye display light Lb travels leftward to the observer. Distribute the light L. When the observer is in an upright state, the second mirror 15 is attached to the holding member 3b so as to be disposed above the right eye,
The third mirror 16 is attached to the holding member 3b so as to be disposed above the left eye, and reflects the left-eye display light Lb by reflecting the right-eye display light La. To proceed downward.

In this embodiment, the optical system 17 includes a condenser lens 17a, a combiner 17b, and a lens 17a.
And a holder 17c for holding the combiner 17b. The holder 17c is supported by a pair of front and rear guide grooves 17d and 17e formed on the inner surface of the holding member 3b along the left-right direction of the observer so as to be slidable in the left-right direction of the observer. By the lateral movement by the slide, the arrangement of the optical system 17 with respect to the mount 3 is changed, and as shown by a solid line in FIG.
By changing the optical path of the display light Lb for the left eye as indicated by the broken line, the display light Lb can be selectively arranged at the left position leading to the left eye of the viewer.

The combiner 17b is composed of a half mirror and a hologram element. When the optical system 17 is disposed at the right position, the optical path of the right-eye display light La reflected by the second mirror 15 is changed by the combiner 17.
b is changed to the right eye of the observer. When the optical system 17 is located at the left position, the optical path of the left-eye display light Lb reflected by the third mirror 16 is changed by the combiner 17b so as to face the left eye of the observer. Thereby, the observer can visually recognize the image formed by the display unit 4 from any one of the left and right eyes. Also, the combiner 17b can transmit light from the front and guide it to the observer's eyes.
An observer can see both the image and the real entity ahead. Further, the optical system 17 in the split display light La, Lb
Thus, the display light whose optical path has not been changed is directed in a direction that does not reach the eyes of the observer. In order for the display unit 4 to form an image at a position distant from the eyes of the observer without blurring, the optical path changing surface of the combiner 17b is preferably an aspheric surface. When a half mirror is used as the combiner 17b, the optical paths of the display lights La and Lb are changed by reflection, and when a hologram element is used, the optical paths of the display lights La and Lb are changed by diffraction.

According to the above configuration, since the image display light L emitted from the display 11 is split by the beam splitter 14, the image can be viewed by the observer only by changing the arrangement of the optical system 17 with respect to the mount 3 by moving the camera horizontally. Can be quickly switched from a state of being visually recognized by one eye to a state of being visually recognized by the other eye, and an image can be visually recognized by one of the left and right eyes selected by the observer.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the form of the mount is not particularly limited as long as it can be attached to the observer's head, and may be, for example, a helmet-shaped or goggle-shaped one. Further, the position may be changed by selectively attaching and detaching the optical system to a mount at a position where the optical path of the right-eye display light is changed and a position at which the optical path of the left-eye display light is changed. The optical element constituting the optical system may be any element that can guide the divided display light to the observer's eyes. For example, a total reflection mirror may be used instead of the combiner of the above embodiment.

[0017]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a head mounted display device capable of easily and quickly switching the left and right eyes for visually recognizing an image according to the dominant eye.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a head-mounted display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the configuration of a head-mounted display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining the configuration of the head-mounted display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Description of Signs] 1 Head-mounted display device 3 Mount 4 Display unit 11 Display device 14 Beam splitter 17 Optical system 17b Combiner

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A display device comprising: a mount attached to a head of an observer; and a display unit attached to the mount. The display unit emits image display light, and an image emitted from the display. A beam splitter that divides display light into right-eye display light and left-eye display light and has the two split display lights travel in different directions from each other, and has an optical system capable of changing its arrangement with respect to its mount, The optical system can be selectively arranged at a position to guide the right eye of the observer by changing the optical path of the display light for the right eye and a position to guide the left eye of the observer by changing the optical path of the display light for the left eye. A head-mounted display device, comprising: 2. The display and the beam splitter are arranged between both eyes of an observer, and the image display light emitted from the display is split by the beam splitter so that the display light for the right eye is shifted rightward. The left-eye display light is distributed so as to travel in the left direction, and the optical system is selectively moved between left and right directions to change the optical path of the right-eye display light and to change the optical path of the left-eye display light. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1, wherein the head-mounted display device can be arranged on a display.