JP2008309994A - Headset type display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a headset type display that is small and comfortable to wear. <P>SOLUTION: The headset type display includes: image display devices disposed between the left and the right visual axes of a user; mirrors for guiding luminous fluxes from the corresponding image display devices to the eyes of the user; magnifying optical systems disposed on the corresponding optical axes connecting the image display devices and the corresponding visual axes of the user, and used for magnifying images displayed on the corresponding image display devices, and projecting them to the eyes of the user; and a frame part supporting the image display devices, mirrors, and magnifying optical systems in front of the eyes of the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a head-mounted display that projects an enlarged image on a user's eye.

In recent years, display devices such as a head-mounted display and a glasses-type display that can be mounted on a user's head have been considered. Such a display device is desired to be small and light in terms of portability and convenience during use. For example, in the invention of Patent Document 1, a white LED (Liquid Crystal Display) is used as a display element, thereby realizing a reduction in size and weight.
JP 2000-249967 A

  In a display device, it is necessary to appropriately arrange a display element, an optical system, and the like in front of the user's eyes in order to perform optimal observation. For this reason, there is a limit to shortening the thickness in the visual axis direction and the width in the lateral direction of the user. Even if it is small, if the thickness in the visual axis direction or the width in the lateral direction of the user is large, there is a problem that the wearing feeling is deteriorated.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a head-mounted display that is small and has a good wearing feeling.

  The head-mounted display of the present invention includes an image display element disposed between the left and right visual axes of a user, a mirror that guides a light beam from the image display element to the user's eyes, the image display element, and the A magnifying optical system that is arranged on an optical path connecting to the user's visual axis and projects an image displayed on the image display element in an enlarged manner onto the user's eyes; the image display element; the mirror; and the magnifying optical system. Is provided in front of the user's eyes.

  Preferably, the center of the image display element is in a plane including the left and right visual axes of the user, the center of the mirror is on the visual axis of the user, and the magnifying optical system passes through the mirror. And arranged on an optical path connecting the center of the image display element and the visual axis of the user, and may be provided on each of the left and right sides.

  Preferably, the right and left magnifying optical systems may be disposed between the mirror and the user's eyes on the optical path.

  Preferably, the frame portion includes a front portion including the left and right image display elements, the mirror, and the magnifying optical system, one end portion connected to the front portion, and the other end portion described above. It may comprise a temple portion that can be locked to a user's ear, and the temple portion may have a shape curved toward the center of the user's face at an end portion that is connected to the front portion.

  Preferably, the frame portion includes a front portion including the left and right image display elements, the mirror, and the magnifying optical system, one end portion connected to the front portion, and the other end portion described above. It comprises a temple portion that can be locked to the user's ear, and in the temple portion, the vicinity of the end portion that is connected to the front portion may be constituted by a transmissive member or a semi-transmissive member.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a head-mounted display that is small and has a good wearing feeling.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of a head-mounted display 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the head-mounted display 1 includes a front part 2, a left temple part 3, and a right temple part 4 that are arranged in front of the user's eyes when worn. One end of the left temple part 3 and the right temple part 4 is connected to the front part 2. The other ends of the left temple portion 3 and the right temple portion 4 are locked to the user's ear when worn. Furthermore, the left temple part 3 and the right temple part 4 have a shape that is curved toward the center of the user's face at the end connected to the front part 2. That is, the left temple part 3 and the right temple part 4 have a curved shape along the user's face.

  FIG. 2 is an internal perspective view of the head-mounted display 1 of this embodiment as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 2, the head-mounted display 1 includes a left image display element 6, a right image display element 7, a left mirror 8, a right mirror 9, a left magnifying optical system 10, and a right magnifying glass 10. Each part of the optical system 11 and the drive part 12 is provided. The left image display element 6 and the right image display element 7 are, for example, liquid crystal devices.

  The center of the left image display element 6 and the right image display element 7 is in a plane including the left and right visual axes (EL and ER) of the user. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the left image display element 6 and the right image display element 7 are disposed between the left and right visual axes (EL and ER) of the user.

  The left mirror 8 has its center on the user's left visual axis EL, and guides the light beam from the left image display element 6 to the user's left eye. The right mirror 9 is centered on the user's right visual axis ER, and guides the light beam from the right image display element 7 to the user's right eye.

  The left magnifying optical system 10 is disposed on an optical path connecting the center of the left image display element 6 and the left visual axis EL of the user via the left mirror 8, and displays the image displayed on the left image display element 6 to the user. Magnify and project to the left eye. The right magnifying optical system 11 is disposed on an optical path connecting the center of the right image display element 7 and the user's right visual axis ER via the right mirror 9, and is displayed on the right image display element 7. Is enlarged and projected onto the right eye of the user.

  The drive unit 12 displays an image on the left image display element 6 and the right image display element 7 and moves the positions of the left image display element 6 and the right image display element 7. Specifically, the left image display element 6 is moved in the direction of arrow a along the left visual axis EL of the user via the left mirror 8. Further, the right image display element 7 is moved in the direction of the arrow b along the right visual axis ER of the user via the right mirror 9. In this way, adjustment to the optimum observation state is possible by moving the positions of the left image display element 6 and the right image display element 7. It should be noted that the drive unit may be provided on each of the left and right sides to adjust the position of the image display element independently on the left and right sides.

  Here, FIGS. 3A and 3B show an example of a conventional head-mounted display. In the head-mounted display shown in FIG. 3A, the image display element, the magnifying optical system, and the user's visual axis are arranged on a straight line. As a result, the width Dw in the lateral direction can be made relatively short, but the thickness Dd becomes long, and the protrusion to the front of the user becomes large at the time of wearing.

  In the head-mounted display shown in FIG. 3B, the image display element is arranged outside the left and right visual axes of the user, and the light flux from the image display element is guided to the user's eyes using a mirror. As a result, the thickness Dd can be made relatively short, but the lateral width Dw becomes long, and the protrusion to the side of the entire head-mounted display becomes large.

  Compared to the conventional head-mounted display shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the head-mounted display 1 of the present embodiment reduces both the thickness Dd in the user's visual axis direction and the width Dw in the lateral direction. Can do. Furthermore, since the protrusion to the front and side can be suppressed, the wearing feeling can be improved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a head-mounted display with a small size and a good wearing feeling. In particular, by reducing the size and weight, the burden on the nose and ears that support the head-mounted display can be suppressed, and the volume can be reduced and the portability can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the temple portion has a shape curved in the center direction of the user's face at the end portion connected to the front portion. Therefore, further miniaturization of the head mounted display can be realized.

  In addition, when the head-mounted display 1 described in this embodiment is used outdoors, it is functionally important that the appearance of the outside world can be confirmed (securing a field of view other than the image display element). is there. In such a case, in the left and right temple portions (the left temple portion 3 and the right temple portion 4), the vicinity of the end portion connected to the front portion (the portion indicated by the hatched line in FIG. 1) is a transmissive member or a semi-transmissive member. You may comprise by a member. For example, by using a semi-transmissive member, it is possible to prevent light incident from the outside from being reflected on the lens surface, and maintain the visibility of the internal image even when the surroundings are bright. It is.

  Further, the present invention can be similarly applied to a head-mounted display having a configuration other than that described in the present embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the present invention is also applied to a head-mounted display that includes a left-right shared image display element and a beam splitter and guides light beams from the left-right shared image display element to the left and right eyes of the user. The same can be applied.

It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the head mounted display 1 of this embodiment. It is the internal perspective view which looked at the head mounted display 1 of this embodiment from the upper part. It is a figure which shows the example of the conventional head mounted display. It is a figure which shows the modification of the head mounted display 1 of this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Head-mounted display, 2 ... Front part, 3 * 4 ... Temple part, 6 * 7 ... Image display element, 8 * 9 ... Mirror, 10 * 11 ... Magnifying optical system, 12 ... Drive part

Claims (5)

An image display element disposed between the left and right visual axes of the user;
A mirror for guiding the light flux from the image display element to the eyes of the user;
A magnifying optical system that is disposed on an optical path connecting the image display element and the visual axis of the user, and that magnifies and projects the image displayed on the image display element onto the user's eyes;
A head-mounted display comprising: a frame portion that supports the image display element, the mirror, and the magnifying optical system in front of the user's eyes. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,
The center of the image display element is in a plane including the left and right visual axes of the user,
The center of the mirror is on the visual axis of the user;
The head-mounted display, wherein the magnifying optical system is disposed on an optical path connecting the center of the image display element and the visual axis of the user via the mirror, and is provided on each of the left and right sides. The head-mounted display according to claim 1 or 2,
The left and right magnifying optical systems are arranged between the mirror and the user's eye on the optical path. The head mounted display according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The frame part includes a front part containing the left and right image display elements, the mirror, and the magnifying optical system, one end connected to the front part, and the other end connected to the user's ear. It consists of a temple part that can be stopped,
The head-mounted display characterized in that the temple portion has a shape curved toward the center of the user's face at the end connected to the front portion. The head mounted display according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The frame part includes a front part containing the left and right image display elements, the mirror, and the magnifying optical system, one end connected to the front part, and the other end connected to the user's ear. It consists of a temple part that can be stopped,
In the temple portion, the vicinity of the end connected to the front portion is constituted by a transmissive member or a semi-transmissive member.

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