JP2007274340A - Head mount display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a HMD (Head Mount Display) device which protects transparent substrates when the HMD is not used, and simultaneously can make it more compact where the HMD which is provided with a display unit, the transparent substrate providing the display unit in the front, and a temple supporting the transparent substrates so as to face them with wearing person's eyeballs. <P>SOLUTION: The HMD is provided with: a display unit which displays an image; two transparent substrates which are arranged in positions to respectively face to right and left eyeballs of an observer when wearing, and arranges transparent substrates in one or both sides of a face in a plane and an opposite plane; two temples which respectively hold the transparent substrates, and are held in an observer's head; and a temple moving means which can move among a position in which the temples are held by the head, a position along a face which arranges the display units of the transparent substrates, and a position facing each other putting the transparent substrates between them. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a video display device, and more particularly to a head-mounted video display device.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, head-mounted video display devices for the purpose of viewing content videos (images) such as movies and videos and remote control of industrial equipment or medical equipment, that is, HMD (Head Mount Display) have been developed. .

  The HMD is provided with a display unit including an image display element such as a liquid crystal display element or an organic EL, and an eyepiece optical system for guiding an image obtained from the image display element to the eyeball of the wearer of the HMD. . Then, by directly projecting the image obtained from the image display element by the eyepiece optical system onto the wearer's eyeball, it is possible to observe a virtual image as if the image was magnified and projected in the air. .

  The HMD having such a configuration usually has a shape of glasses or goggles, and a transparent substrate corresponding to a lens of the glasses, and the transparent substrate is hooked on the ears or the temporal region of the wearer and the eyeball of the wearer. A temple, a display unit, and the like that are supported so as to face each other are provided. Then, the transparent substrate and the temple are rotatably connected at the connection portion, and when the HMD is not used, the temple is rotated so as to be along the back surface (the surface facing the eye when worn). By storing, it can be made compact (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Here, a schematic configuration of the HMD disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the HMD viewed from the front diagonal right, FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the HMD in a state where the temples are stored viewed from the front diagonal right, and FIG. It is the side view which looked at HMD in the state where the temple was stored from the front right.

  As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the HMD 1 has a shape almost like glasses as a whole. Like the glasses, the HMD 1 is mounted on the head so that the transparent substrates 4 and 5 face the right and left eyes, respectively. Is done.

  The temples 2 and 3 are attached to the ends of the transparent substrates 4 and 5, respectively, and are held on the ears or the temporal region of the wearer to hold the HMD 1 on the head and adjust the wearing position. It is for doing. The temples 2 and 3 are rotating parts 2a and 3a provided in the middle of the extending direction of the temples 2 and 3 and are transparent as shown in FIG. 5A around the rotation axes K2 and K3. It is connected to the substrates 4 and 5 so as to be able to rotate by bending in the directions of arrows P and Q. The display units 6 and 7 are provided on the upper surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 (surfaces opposite to the surfaces facing the eyes when mounted), respectively.

And when not using HMD1, as shown in FIG.5 (b), by rotating the temples 2 and 3 to the direction of the arrow P and Q, and accommodating along the back surface of the transparent substrates 4 and 5, It is designed to be compact.
JP 2002-156600 A

  By the way, since the display unit usually has a plurality of parts such as an image display element and an eyepiece optical system as described above, the display unit protrudes forward in a state of being arranged on the front surface of the transparent substrate. It is attached. For example, in the HMD 1 disclosed in Patent Document 1, the display units 6 and 7 arranged on the upper portions of the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are arranged in front (FIG. 5C) as shown in FIG. ) In the left direction). When the HMD 1 is not used, the temples 2 and 3 are folded along the back surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5. That is, the display units 6 and 7 protrude from the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5, and the temples 2 and 3 overlap and are folded from the rear surfaces. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5C, there is a problem that the depth D1 of the HMD1 is increased and the compactness is hindered. Moreover, although the back surface of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 is covered and protected by the temples 2 and 3, since the front surface is exposed, there is a concern about a problem with respect to scratches.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and includes a display unit, a transparent substrate in which the display unit is disposed on the front surface, and a temple that supports the transparent substrate so as to face the eyeball of the wearer. In HMD, when HMD is not used, it aims at providing HMD which can protect a transparent substrate and can be made more compact.

  The above object is achieved by the invention described in any one of the following items 1 to 4.

1. A display unit for displaying images;
Two transparent substrates disposed at positions facing the left and right eyeballs of the observer when worn, and the display unit disposed on one or both of the surfaces opposite to the surfaces facing the eyeballs;
In the head-mounted image display device having two temples, each holding the transparent substrate and supported on the observer's head,
A head mounting comprising: a temple moving means that allows movement between a position where the temple is supported by the head and a position along a surface of the transparent substrate on which the display unit is disposed. Video display device.

2. The temple moving means is a position where the temple and the transparent substrate are connected, and a first connecting portion that rotatably connects the temple along a side surface of the transparent substrate;
2. The head-mounted image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a second connecting portion that bends the temple in the direction of the transparent substrate and rotatably connects the temple.

3. A display unit for displaying images;
Two transparent substrates disposed at positions facing the left and right eyeballs of the observer when worn, and the display unit disposed on one or both of the surfaces opposite to the surfaces facing the eyeballs;
In the head-mounted image display device having two temples, each holding the transparent substrate and supported on the observer's head,
A head-mounted image display device comprising: a temple moving means that allows movement between a position where the temple is supported by the head and a position facing the temple across the transparent substrate.

4). The temple moving means includes a first connecting portion that connects the transparent substrate so as to be rotatable along surfaces of the transparent substrates facing each other;
4. The head-mounted image display device according to 3 above, further comprising: a second connecting portion that bends the temple in the direction of the transparent substrate and rotatably connects the temple.

  According to the present invention, the temple moving means is provided which allows movement between the position where the temple is supported by the head and the position along the surface on which the display unit of the transparent substrate is arranged. That is, when the HMD is not used, the temple can be moved and stored by the temple moving means to a position along the same surface as the surface on which the display unit of the transparent substrate is arranged. Therefore, the depth of the HMD can be reduced and the size can be further reduced.

  Further, the temple moving means includes a first connecting part that rotatably connects the temple along the side surface of the transparent substrate, and a second connecting part that rotatably connects the temple by bending the temple in the direction of the transparent substrate. I made it. Therefore, first, the temple is rotated forward along the side surface of the transparent substrate at the first connecting portion, for example, 180 degrees, and then the temple is next directed to the front surface of the transparent substrate at the second connecting portion. For example, by rotating 90 degrees, the temple can be moved and stored in the same surface as the surface on which the display unit of the transparent substrate is arranged, that is, a position along the front surface.

  In addition, a temple moving means is provided that allows the temple to move between a position where the temple is supported by the head and a position opposed to each other across the transparent substrate. That is, when the HMD is not used, the temple can be stored at a position opposed to each other across the transparent substrate by the temple moving means. Therefore, both the front surface and the back surface of the transparent substrate are both covered with the temple and protected from scratches.

  In addition, the temple moving means includes a first connecting portion that rotatably connects the transparent substrate along surfaces facing the transparent substrate, and a second connecting portion that rotatably connects the temple by bending the temple toward the transparent substrate. And so on. Accordingly, first, one of the transparent substrates is rotated at the first connecting portion along the surface where the transparent substrates face each other, for example, 180 degrees, and then the temple is turned to the back surface of the transparent substrate at the second connecting portion. For example, the temple can be stored at a position facing the transparent substrate with the transparent substrate interposed therebetween by rotating 90 degrees, for example.

  Hereinafter, an HMD (Head Mount Display) which is one of representative embodiments of a head-mounted image display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1
First, the external appearance of the HMD 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an HMD 1 according to the present invention as seen from the front diagonal right.

  The HMD 1 is a head-mounted video display device that is used in the vicinity of a wearer's eyeball. As shown in FIG. 1, the HMD 1 has temples 2 and 3, transparent substrates 4 and 5, display units 6 and 7, a bridge 10, and the like. For example, content video such as video or television captured from the video is displayed on the display units 6 and 7.

  The temples 2 and 3 are elongate members made of a flexible elastic material or the like. The temples 2 and 3 are hooked on the wearer's ears or the temporal region, and the HMD 1 is held on the head by the wearer. This is for adjusting the mounting position. Further, one end of each of the temples 2 and 3 is a side surface of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 to be described later and the first connecting portions 2b and 3b, respectively, as shown in FIG. 5 are connected so as to be rotatable in the directions of the arrows R and S along the side surface of 5. Further, the temples 2 and 3 are second connecting portions 2a and 3a provided in the middle of the extending direction of the temples 2 and 3, respectively, with the rotation axes K2 and K3 as the center, as shown in FIG. , 5 are bent in the directions of arrows P and Q so as to be rotatable. In this way, the first connecting portions 2b and 3b and the second connecting portions 2a and 3a function as temple moving means in the HMD according to the present invention.

  The bridge 10 is a short rod-like member that is spanned at predetermined positions facing each other on transparent substrates 4 and 5 to be described later, and holds the transparent substrate 4 and the transparent substrate 5 in a relative positional relationship with a certain gap therebetween. Is.

  The transparent substrates 4 and 5 are substantially flat transparent members made of glass, transparent resin, or the like, and are supported by the frames 2 and 3 so as to be positioned in front of the wearer's eyes when the HMD 1 is worn. The transparent substrates 4 and 5 form U-shaped spaces 4 s and 5 s at positions corresponding to the left and right eyeballs, respectively, and U-shaped spaces 4 s and 5 s formed by being surrounded by the transparent substrates 4 and 5. Are fitted with eyepiece optical systems 65 and 75 in display units 6 and 7, which will be described later.

  The display units 6 and 7 have LCD display units 61 and 71, eyepiece optical systems 65 and 75, which will be described later, respectively, and images taken by a camera unit (not shown), for example, video captured from an external I / F. And content videos such as TV.

  In the configuration of FIG. 1, one display unit 6, 7 is provided on each of the front and left sides of the HMD 1, but only one of them may be provided.

  Here, the configuration of the display unit 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view from the left side of the display unit 6 in the HMD 1 according to the present invention, and mainly shows the internal configuration of the display unit 6. The display unit 7 has the same configuration as the display unit 6 and will not be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the display unit 6 includes a housing 611, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 612, a collimator lens 613, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 614 LCD display unit 61, a prism 651, and HOE (Holographic Optical). Element) 652 including an eyepiece optical system 65 and the like.

  With the LED 612, the collimator lens 613, and the LCD 614 built in the housing 611 of the LCD display unit 61, the housing 611 is tilted forward and obliquely at the upper end of the prism 651 of the eyepiece optical system 65 (FIG. 2). Then, it is attached in such a manner as to protrude obliquely upward to the right.

  The LED 612 includes light emitting diodes (LEDs) of three colors of green, blue, and red, and generates white light by additive mixing. The LED 612 may be a white light emitting diode including a predetermined wavelength color.

  The collimator lens 613 projects the light from the LED 612 onto the LCD 614 by making the light from the LED 612 substantially parallel.

  The LCD 614 generates an image based on a video signal generated by a camera unit (not shown) or a content video signal of an external I / F taken in, for example, a video or a TV, for example, a transmissive liquid crystal display panel. is there.

  The prism 651 is a substantially plate-shaped transparent member made of glass, transparent resin, or the like, and causes light from the LCD 614 to be reflected a plurality of times inside. The upper end of the prism 651 is formed in a wedge shape so that the front side (opposite to the eyepiece surface) protrudes so as to be thicker upward so that most of the light from the LCD 614 can be collected inside. A thick portion 651b is formed.

  An inclined surface 651 a is formed at the lower end of the prism 651, and the prism 651 is joined (for example, bonded) to the inclined surface 4 a formed on the transparent substrate 4 via the HOE 652. The front and back surfaces of the prism 651 are flush with the front and back surfaces of the transparent substrate 4. Thereby, the prism 651 is integrated with the transparent substrate 4 in a single plate shape.

  The HOE 652 is a volume phase type holographic optical element having a positive power, which is constituted by a so-called free-form surface that is optically asymmetric with respect to the axis, and is supported at a lower end portion of the prism 651 with a predetermined inclination angle. The HOE 652 provides a hologram image to the eyeball E by using the light interference phenomenon when irradiated with the light guided by the prism 651.

  In the display unit 6 having the above-described configuration, the light emitted from the LED 612 illuminates the LCD 614 through the collimator lens 613, and the image light generated by the LCD 614 by this illumination is reflected in the prism 651 for a plurality of times. After reflection, the light is diffracted by the HOE 652 and guided to the user's eyeball E as a virtual image.

  Furthermore, the prism 651 guides light incident from the front to the user's eyeball. As a result, the wearer can see through the outside world (front subject), and can visually recognize the video taken by a camera unit (not shown) superimposed on the outside world (front subject).

  The inclined surface 4a formed on the transparent substrate 4 cancels (cancels) light refraction at the inclined surface 651a of the prism 651, that is, the light from the arrow W side upwards due to the prism effect on the inclined surface 651a. In order to prevent bending, the wearer can observe outside light through the prism 651, the transparent substrate 4, and the HOE 652 without distortion.

  Thus, since the display units 6 and 7 have a plurality of parts such as the LCD display units 61 and 71 and the eyepiece optical systems 65 and 75, the display units 6 and 7 are arranged in front of the transparent substrates 4 and 5. It is attached to protrude forward.

  In the HMD 1 having such a configuration, the present invention is directed to the position where the temples 2 and 3 are supported by the head and the same surface as the surface on which the display units 6 and 7 of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are disposed, that is, the front surface (mounting). When the HMD 1 is not used, the temples 2 and 3 are placed on the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 when the HMD 1 is not used. The depth of the HMD 1 can be made smaller and more compact by being moved to a position along the line and housed.

  Here, the operation of moving the temples 2 and 3 from the position supported by the head to the position along the front surface of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 by the temple moving means will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram showing a state when the temples 2 and 3 are located at positions where they are supported by the head, and FIG. 3B is a view from a position where the temples 2 and 3 are supported by the head. FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are moving to the position along the front surface. FIG. 3C shows that the temples 2 and 3 are stored at the positions along the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5. FIG. 3D is a side view of the HMD 1 in a state in which the temples 2 and 3 are accommodated, as viewed from the front right.

  When the HMD 1 is used, the temples 2 and 3 are located at a position supported by the head, as shown in FIG.

  When the temples 2 and 3 are housed in positions along the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 from such a state, first, the temples 2 and 3 are centered on the rotation axis K1 of the first connecting portions 2b and 3b. Then, it is rotated, for example, 180 degrees in the directions of arrows R and S along the side surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 so as to extend in front of the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 as shown in FIG.

  Next, the temples 2 and 3 are bent, for example, by 90 degrees in the directions of arrows P and Q toward the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 around the rotation axes K2 and K3 of the second connecting portions 2a and 3a. As a result, the temples 2 and 3 are moved and stored at positions along the front surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 as shown in FIG.

  Thus, in the HMD 1 according to the present invention, when the HMD 1 is not used, the temples 2 and 3 are moved along the same surface as the surface on which the display units 6 and 7 of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are arranged by the temple moving means. It can be moved to a different position and stored. Thereby, as shown in FIG.3 (d), the depth D2 of HMD1 can be made smaller than the depth D1 in the above-mentioned conventional HMD1, and it can make more compact.

[Embodiment 2]
Next, the HMD 1 according to the second embodiment of the head-mounted image display device according to the present invention will be described. The main part configuration is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The temple movable means having a bridge having a configuration different from that of the first embodiment and its operation will be described with reference to FIG. To do. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing a state when the temples 2 and 3 are located at positions where they are supported by the head, and FIG. 4B is a view from the position where the temples 2 and 3 are supported by the head. FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are in the process of moving to the opposing positions. FIG. 4C is a diagram in which the temples 2 and 3 are stored at positions facing the transparent substrates 4 and 5. FIG. 4D is a side view of the HMD 1 in a state in which the temples 2 and 3 are stored as viewed from the front right.

  First, the bridges 101 and 102 having a configuration different from that of the HMD 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the bridges 101 and 102 are provided on opposite side surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5, respectively, and are connected by the first connecting portion 100a so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis K5. Yes.

  Similarly to the HMD 1 according to the first embodiment described above, the temples 2 and 3 are the second connecting portions 2a and 3a provided in the middle of the extending direction of the temples 2 and 3, and the rotation axes K2 and K3 are connected to each other. At the center, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), it is bent in the directions of arrows P and Q toward the transparent substrates 4 and 5 so as to be rotatable. Thus, the 1st connection part 100a and the 2nd connection parts 2a and 3a function as a temple movable means in HMD which concerns on this invention.

  In the HMD 1 having such a configuration, the present invention is provided with a temple moving means that allows the temples 2 and 3 to move between a position where the temples 2 and 3 are supported by the head and a position facing the transparent substrates 4 and 5. When the HMD 1 is not used, the temples 2 and 3 are moved and stored in positions facing each other with the transparent substrates 4 and 5 interposed therebetween, so that both the front and back surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are the temples 2 and 2. 3 so that it can be protected from scratches.

  Here, the operation of moving the temples 2 and 3 from the position supported by the head to the position facing the transparent substrates 4 and 5 by the temple moving means will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the HMD 1 is used, the temples 2 and 3 are located at positions supported by the head, as shown in FIG.

  When the temples 2 and 3 are moved from such a state to positions facing each other across the transparent substrates 4 and 5, first, one of the transparent substrates 4 and 5, for example, the transparent substrate 5 is moved to the first connecting portion. By rotating 180 degrees, for example, in the direction of arrow X about the rotation axis K5 of 100a, the front and back surfaces of the transparent substrate 5 are reversed as shown in FIG.

  Next, the temples 2 and 3 are bent, for example, 90 degrees in the directions of arrows P and Q toward the back surface of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 around the rotation axes K2 and K3 of the second connecting portions 2a and 3a. As a result, the temples 2 and 3 are moved and stored at positions facing each other across the transparent substrates 4 and 5 along the back surfaces of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 as shown in FIG.

  As described above, in the HMD 1 according to the present invention, when the HMD 1 is not used, the temples 2 and 3 can be moved and stored in positions facing each other across the transparent substrates 4 and 5 by the temple moving means. Thereby, as shown in FIG.4 (d), both the front surface and the back surface of the transparent substrates 4 and 5 are covered with the temples 2 and 3, and can be protected from a damage | wound.

  The present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be changed or improved as appropriate. For example, in the present embodiment, the HOE is used for the eyepiece optical system, but a half mirror or the like may be used.

It is an external appearance schematic diagram by an example of HMD which concerns on this invention. It is a sectional side view of the display unit in HMD concerning the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of accommodation by Embodiment 1 of HMD which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of accommodation by Embodiment 2 of HMD which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of accommodation in the conventional HMD.

Explanation of symbols

1 HMD
2,3 Temple 4,5 Transparent substrate 6,7 Display unit 61.71 LCD display unit 611 Case 612 LED
613 Collimator lens 614 LCD
65,75 Eyepiece optical system 651 Prism 652 HOE
10, 101, 102 Bridge E Eye

Claims (4)

A display unit for displaying images;
Two transparent substrates disposed at positions facing the left and right eyeballs of the observer when worn, and the display unit disposed on one or both of the surfaces opposite to the surfaces facing the eyeballs;
In the head-mounted image display device having two temples, each holding the transparent substrate and supported on the observer's head,
A head mounting comprising: a temple moving means that allows movement between a position where the temple is supported by the head and a position along a surface of the transparent substrate on which the display unit is disposed. Video display device. The temple moving means is a position where the temple and the transparent substrate are connected, and a first connecting portion that rotatably connects the temple along a side surface of the transparent substrate;
The head-mounted image display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second connection portion that bends the temple in the direction of the transparent substrate and rotatably connects the temple. A display unit for displaying images;
Two transparent substrates disposed at positions facing the left and right eyeballs of the observer when worn, and the display unit disposed on one or both of the surfaces opposite to the surfaces facing the eyeballs;
In the head-mounted image display device having two temples, each holding the transparent substrate and supported on the observer's head,
A head-mounted image display device comprising: a temple moving means that allows movement between a position where the temple is supported by the head and a position facing the temple across the transparent substrate. The temple moving means includes a first connecting portion that connects the transparent substrate so as to be rotatable along surfaces of the transparent substrates facing each other;
The head-mounted image display device according to claim 3, further comprising: a second connection portion that bends the temple in the direction of the transparent substrate and rotatably connects the temple.

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