See-through computer display systems
View Patent ↗A head worn display for displaying a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of a surrounding environment that includes multiply folded optics, includes a solid prism with at least one optically powered surface and a planar surface that provides a first internal fold of an optical axis of an image light associated with the displayed image, a combiner that provides a second fold the optical axis associated with the image light and wherein a flat plate reflector is bonded to the planar surface of the solid prism to provide a flat reflective surface to the solid prism.
1. A head worn display for displaying a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of a surrounding environment that includes multiply folded optics, comprising:
a solid prism with a concave image light input optically powered surface, a concave image light output optically powered surface, and a planar surface that provides an internal fold of an optical axis of an image light associated with the displayed image, wherein an image source projects image light into the input power surface towards the planar surface, and wherein the image light transmits through the output power surface;
a combiner that provides a second fold the optical axis associated with the image light, wherein the combiner combines the displayed image and light from the surrounding environment; and
wherein a flat plate reflector is bonded to the planar surface of the solid prism to provide an optically flat reflective surface to the solid prism, wherein the image light reflects off the flat reflector plate directly towards the output power surface.
2. The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein the combiner is a flat partially reflective mirror.
3. The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein the multiply folded optics further include a self-luminous image source or a backlit display that provides the image light and the flat plate reflector is a full mirror.
4. The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein the multiply folded optics further include a reflective image source and illuminating light is provided by a backlight positioned behind the flat plate reflector, wherein the flat plate reflector is a partially reflective mirror and the illuminating light is transmitted through the flat plate reflector.
5. The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein the flat plate reflector is bonded to the planar surface of the solid prism with a UV curing transparent adhesive that is index matched to the solid prism.
6. The head-worn display of claim 5 wherein the adhesive fills a sink mark on the planar surface.
7. The head-worn display of claim 5 wherein the refractive index of the UV curing transparent adhesive is within +/−0.05 of the refractive index of the solid prism.