IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,067,804
Granted Patent B2
US 11,067,804 · App. 16/282,822 · Granted Jul 20, 2021

Virtual image display device

Inventor: Osamu Yokoyama (Shiojiri, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
G02B27/0172G02B5/04G02B5/10G02B17/008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,067,804
App. No.
16/282,822
Granted
Jul 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A virtual image display device of the invention includes an image display element configured to emit image light, a relay optical system configured to generate an intermediate image of the image light emitted from the image display element, and an ocular optical element configured to reflect the intermediate image toward a position assumed to be a position of an eye of an observer to generate an enlarged virtual image. The relay optical system includes a prism, and the prism includes a first bending surface including a bending surface and serving as an incident surface, a second bending surface including a bending surface and serving as an emission surface, and a reflecting surface configured to reflect, toward the second bending surface, the image light incident from the first bending surface.

Claims (32)

1. A virtual image display device, comprising:

an image display element configured to emit image light;

a relay optical system configured to generate an intermediate image of the image light emitted from the image display element; and

an ocular optical element configured to reflect the intermediate image toward a position assumed to be a position of an eye of an observer to generate an enlarged virtual image, wherein

the relay optical system includes a prism, the prism including

a first bending surface including a bending surface and serving as an incident surface,

a second bending surface including a bending surface and serving as an emission surface, the first bending surface and the second bending surface opposing each other without intersecting each other, and

a reflecting surface configured to reflect, toward the second bending surface, the image light incident from the first bending surface.

2. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay optical system further includes at least one lens, and

the prism is positioned closest to the ocular optical element in the relay optical system.

3. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the image display element is disposed at a position assumed to be a position of a side of a head of the observer,

the ocular optical element is disposed at a position assumed to be a position in front of the eye of the observer,

the relay optical system is disposed between the image display element and the ocular optical element, and

the image display element is configured to emit the image light along the position assumed to be the position of the side of the head to make the image light incident on the relay optical system.

4. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the reflecting surface includes a flat surface.

5. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the prism includes an opposite surface at a position opposing to the reflecting surface, the opposite surface including a flat surface.

6. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the prism includes an opposite surface at a position opposing to the reflecting surface, the opposite surface being a concave surface including two flat surfaces.

7. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the prism includes an opposite surface at a position opposing to the reflecting surface, the opposite surface including a curved concave surface.

8. The virtual image display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the ocular optical element includes

a prism member including a transparent optical medium and

a concave surface mirror covering a part of the prism member,

the prism member includes

a flat surface facing the position assumed to be the position of the eye of the observer, and

a curved surface on an opposite side with respect to the position assumed to be the position of the eye, the curved surface including a protruding curved surface shape protruding away from the flat surface facing the position assumed to be the position of the eye, and

the concave surface mirror covers the curved surface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2019
From: YOKOYAMA, OSAMU
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048413/0338 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-031372 · Feb 23, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190265479A1 · Aug 29, 2019