JPH07325265A - Head mounted display - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an HMD used both as a see-through type and a closed type with easy operation. CONSTITUTION:This head mounted display is provided with a housing mounted on the head of a user, for example, a helmet; a picture display device fixed to the helmet and projecting information before the user's eyes; and an optical system for forming a virtual image of the picture displayed on the picture display device on a combiner 6 set before the user's eyes. In this display, a light shading member 7 is set in front of the combiner 6 so that it can be taken in and out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a helmet mounted on the head and a head mounted display (hereinafter referred to as HMD) having a display device supported by the helmet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When processing or operating a pollutant such as a radiation emitting substance by using a remote control device, information for operation is displayed to an operator together with the outside light, or the outside light is blocked to create an artificial reality (virtual The HMD is used when displaying an image for experiencing (reality).

Conventionally, an HMD used for such remote control or artificial reality has a housing, for example, a helmet (hereinafter referred to as a helmet), an image display device supported by the helmet and an image displayed on the image display device. It has an optical system for forming a virtual image in front of a combiner installed in front of the eyes of the user, and the optical system is generally fixed in front of the eyes of the helmet.

In such an HMD, when the image from the image display device and the outside light are displayed together on the combiner, the combiner is of a transmissive type, and is used as an image for experiencing artificial reality (virtual reality). When displaying, make sure that the outside light does not enter the combiner. Generally, the former type of HMD is a sheath type (type in which the image displayed in front of the combiner and the actual object are superimposed), and the latter type is closed type (only the image displayed in front of the combiner is viewed. The conventional HMD is a dedicated type, either a sheath type or a closed type, or an LCD shutter is provided in front of the combiner, and the LCD shutter is driven so that external light is incident on or blocked by the combiner. There is a controllable dual-purpose sheathle type and closed type.

[0005]

However, the LCD is
The one that controls the incidence and blocking of the outside light to the combiner by driving the shutter is the state where the LCD shutter is always installed in front of the combiner. Therefore, no matter how much the LCD is driven to allow the outside light to pass through. However, the external light transmittance is lower than that of the sheathle type dedicated device, and it is difficult to recognize the image from the image display device and the external light together.

Further, in order to drive the LCD, a drive circuit and a power source dedicated to the LCD are required, and when the LCD is attached to the helmet, the weight of the helmet becomes considerably large, which is a burden to the user.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an HMD that can be used as both a sheathle type and a closed type with a simple operation.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a housing mounted on the head of a user and an image fixed to the housing and emitting information in front of the user's eyes. In a head mounted display including a display device and an optical system for forming a virtual image of an image displayed on the image display device in front of a combiner installed in front of a user's eye, a light shielding member is taken in and out in front of the combiner. It is characterized by being installed as much as possible.

Here, the housing means, for example, a helmet, and not only one that covers the entire head, but also one that can be mounted and fixed on the head,
For example, it also includes a band-shaped member wound around the head and a frame-shaped member.

The image display device may have any shape as long as it can be fixed to the housing, and the image is, for example, C
It is created by RT, a liquid crystal panel, etc., but the method is not limited. The image display device may be attached to the housing either by embedding it in the housing or by attaching it to the housing and fixing it with a tape or the like.

The combiner may be made of any light transmitting material, such as glass or polyacryl. The combiner is fixed to the front end of the housing, for example, with a pin or an adhesive tape so as to be in front of the user.

As the light shielding member, a visor having an external light transmittance of 0% is used, which is installed in the housing so as to be in front of the combiner. The installation location depends not only on the direction in which the light shielding member is taken in and out, but it is also installed at the front end of the housing when it is taken out and up, and at the side end when it is taken out horizontally. The method of putting in and out the light shielding member is to install the light shielding member at the front end of the housing and rotate it up and down around that point as a fulcrum, or install the light shielding member at the side end of the housing and slide it out. A method of installing the light shielding member at the front end of the housing and expanding / contracting with a spring is conceivable, but not limited thereto. Further, it is convenient for the user to manually carry out the withdrawal.

[0013]

In the present invention, the sheathle type and the closed type can be easily switched by inserting and removing the light shielding member in front of the combiner.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.
H indicates a helmet worn by the user, and helmet H
Includes an inner shell 2 provided with a thin cushioning material 1 on the inner surface side, and an outer shell 4 provided outside the inner shell 2 with a cushioning material 3 interposed therebetween. The inner shell 2 is formed of a resin having high strength such as polycarbonate reinforced with glass fiber, and the outer shell 4 is formed of a lightweight resin such as polypropylene.

The helmet H is provided with a combiner 6 made of a transmissive material via a support member 9. Image combiner 6 receives image display light from an image display device K described later. This image display device is housed in a case for the left eye and a case for the right eye which are arranged corresponding to the left and right eyes of the helmet wearer.

The image display device K is arranged in the upper front part of the space between the inner shell 2 and the outer shell 4 of the helmet H, and the image display portion D and the optical member B are provided in the display device K. It is arranged.

The optical member B includes a plurality of lens systems B1 and B2.
The image display section D includes a liquid crystal panel D1 and a backlight light source D2. Therefore, the image display light from the liquid crystal panel D1 enters the optical member B,
The virtual image of the image is formed while being moved to the combiner 6.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a light shielding member (a visor having a transmittance of 0%) which is the gist of the present invention, and like the combiner 6, this is a pin member 8 rotatable on a support member 9 installed at the front end of the helmet H. Installed by. As a result, the light shielding member 7 rotates in the direction of the arrow in the drawing using the pin member 8 as a pillar, and covers the front surface of the combiner 6 as necessary.

With the above structure, the wearer can wear the helmet H.
When used as a sheath type HMD, the light shielding member 7 is raised in front of the helmet as shown in FIG. 1 so that outside light can pass through the combiner.
Then, the image display light from the liquid crystal panel D1 and the outside light are superposed, and various image images displayed on the liquid crystal panel D1 and an actual object can be superposed and viewed.

When used as a closed type HMD, if the light shielding member 7 is lowered to the position indicated by the dotted line in the figure, only the image display light from the liquid crystal panel D1 can be seen and the world can be immersed.

[0022]

According to the present invention, the HMD wearer can easily switch between the sheathle type and the closed type HMD by appropriately inserting and removing the light shielding member.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an HMD of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 D: Image display unit K: Image projecting device 6: Combiner 7: Light shielding member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A housing mounted on the head of a user, an image display device fixed to the housing and emitting information in front of the user's eyes, and a virtual image of an image displayed on the image display device. In a head mounted display having an optical system for forming an image in front of the combiner installed in front of the eye, a light shielding member is installed in front of the combiner so that it can be taken in and out.