PRE-ASSEMBLED SOLID OPTICAL ASSEMBLY FOR HEAD WORN COMPUTERS
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to solid optical systems and methods for use in head-worn computing systems.
1 . An optical assembly for displaying an image in a head-worn display comprising:
an image source providing image light;
display optics including multiple elements with optical surfaces that are cemented together with one or more transparent adhesives;
wherein the cemented display optics include multiple internal optical surfaces comprising at least one refractive surface supplying optical power and at least two partially reflective surfaces; and
the cemented display optics present the image light in a display field of view to display the image to a user.
2 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the transparent adhesive is index matched to at least one of the elements.
3 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the cemented display optics provide the user with a see-through view of a surrounding environment.
4 . The optical assembly of claim 3 wherein the see-through view can pass through all of the multiple elements.
5 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the multiple elements include at least two optical materials.
6 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein at least two of the cemented optical surfaces are spherical.
7 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the cemented display optics comprise a pre-assembled optic.
8 . The optical assembly of claim 7 wherein the pre-assembled optic is installed into a frame along with the image source.
9 . The optical assembly of claim 8 wherein the frame rigidly holds the image source in relation to the pre-assembled optic.
10 . The optical assembly of claim 9 wherein the frame rigidly holds a left pre-assembled optic and a right preassembled optic relative to the left and right eyes of the user.
11 . The optical assembly of claim 4 wherein the cemented display optics are uniform in thickness so the see-through view of the surrounding environment is undistorted.
12 . The optical assembly of claim 11 wherein the multiple elements include elements that are designed with first surfaces that match other elements and second surfaces that are plano to provide the uniform thickness of the cemented display optics.
13 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the cemented display optics include at least one external refractive surface that supplies optical power.
14 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the reflective surfaces supplies optical power.
15 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the elements is provided with an airgap to an adjacent element and the airgap is supported by a special flange associated with the element that is adhesively bonded to the adjacent element.
16 . The optical assembly of claim 7 wherein the pre-assembled optic includes sides that flare outward toward a front surface to better match a line of sight from the user's eye.
17 . The optical assembly of claim 7 wherein one or more sides of the pre-assembled optic is blackened to reduce stray light.
18 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the multiple elements include at least, a field lens, a power lens, a front lens and a prism.
19 . The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the partially reflective surfaces is a notch mirror.
20 . The optical assembly of claim 19 wherein one of the multiple elements is a glass element and the notch mirror is associated with a surface of the glass element.
21 . The optical assembly of claim 5 wherein at least one of the elements has a refractive index that is at least 0.05 greater than the other elements and at least two of the other elements have refractive indices that are the same within <0.05.
22 . The optical assembly of claim 11 wherein different portions of the see-through view pass through elements with different refractive indices.
23 . The optical assembly of claim 11 wherein a portion of the see-through view passes through multiple elements with refractive indices that are the same within 0.05.