IP Library Granted Patent US 11,073,701
Granted Patent B2
US 11,073,701 · App. 16/313,172 · Granted Jul 27, 2021

Head-mounted display device

Inventors: Yoshio Matsumura (Osaka, JP); Hiroyasu Makino (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
G02B27/022G02B27/0172G02B2027/011G02B2027/0123G02B2027/0132G02B2027/0134G02B2027/0178
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,073,701
App. No.
16/313,172
Granted
Jul 27, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A head-mounted display device includes a first display portion disposed in front of a pupil of a viewer and displaying a first image, a second display portion disposed on an ear side of the viewer and diagonally in front of the pupil and displaying a second image, a first lens disposed between the pupil and the first display portion for projecting a first image onto the pupil, and a second lens disposed between the pupil and the second display portion for projecting a second image onto the pupil. The second lens is disposed adjacent to the first lens on the ear side of the viewer, and an optical axis of the first lens and an optical axis of the second lens intersect with each other at an angle ranging from 30 degrees to 80 degrees inclusive.

Claims (58)

1. A head-mounted display device that is worn on a head of a viewer when used, the head-mounted display device comprising:

a first display portion that is disposed in front of a pupil of the viewer gazing forward, while facing the pupil, the first display portion displaying a first image;

a second display portion that is disposed close to an ear of the viewer and diagonally in front of the pupil, while facing the pupil, the second display portion displaying a second image;

a first eyepiece having a first display-portion-side lens surface and a first viewer-side lens surface, disposed between the pupil and the first display portion, and projecting the first image onto the pupil, the first display-portion-side lens surface being a surface closer to the first display portion than the viewer, the first viewer-side lens surface being a surface closer to the viewer than the first display portion; and

a second eyepiece having a second display-portion-side lens surface and a second viewer-side lens surface, disposed between the pupil and the second display portion, and projecting the second image onto the pupil, the second display-portion-side lens surface being a surface closer to the second display portion than the viewer, the second viewer-side lens surface being a surface closer to the viewer than the second display portion,

wherein

the second eyepiece is disposed adjacent to the first eyepiece at a position closer to an ear of the viewer than the first eyepiece is,

an optical axis of the first eyepiece and an optical axis of the second eyepiece intersect with each other at an angle ranging from 30 degrees to 80 degrees inclusive,

the first display portion and the second display portion are separate and move separately,

a distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the first eyepiece is changeable,

a distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the second eyepiece is changeable, and

the distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece is increased with an increase in the distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece.

2. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein a display position of the second image displayed in the second display portion horizontally moves toward an ear of the viewer with respect to the first display portion with an increase in the distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece.

3. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein a display position of the second image displayed in the second display portion horizontally moves toward the first display portion with an increase in the distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece.

4. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece is shorter than a distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece.

5. The head-mounted display device according to claim 4 , wherein the optical axis of the first eyepiece is parallel to a straight line extending in a gaze direction of the pupil of the viewer gazing forward.

6. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece becomes shorter with an increase in a distance from the first display portion.

7. The head-mounted display device according to claim 6 , wherein the optical axis of the first eyepiece is parallel to a straight line extending in a gaze direction of the pupil of the viewer gazing forward.

8. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical axis of the second eyepiece is offset from a center of a contour shape of the second eyepiece.

9. The head-mounted display device according to claim 8 , wherein the optical axis of the first eyepiece is parallel to a straight line extending in a gaze direction of the pupil of the viewer gazing forward.

10. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein a contour shape of the first viewer-side lens surface and a contour shape of the second viewer-side lens surface respectively have joint shape parts that are in contact with each other, and

the first viewer-side lens surface and the second viewer-side lens surface are horizontally continuous through the joint shape parts in an entire visual field of the viewer in a vertical direction or in a central part of a visual field of the viewer.

11. The head-mounted display device according to claim 10 , wherein

the first display portion emits a first light ray that enters an end of the first display-portion-side lens surface and is emitted from the first viewer-side lens surface toward the pupil of the viewer, the end being adjacent to the second eyepiece,

the second display portion emits a second light ray that enters an end of the second display-portion-side lens surface and is emitted from the second viewer-side lens surface toward the pupil of the viewer, the end being adjacent to the first eyepiece,

the first eyepiece has a radial end surface inclined with respect to the optical axis of the first eyepiece to extend along the first light ray emitted toward the pupil of the viewer, and

the second eyepiece has a radial end surface inclined with respect to the optical axis of the second eyepiece to extend along the second light ray emitted toward the pupil of the viewer.

12. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an observation field angle of the second eyepiece to an observation field angle of the first eyepiece is less than 0.95.

13. The head-mounted display device according to claim 12 , wherein the optical axis of the first eyepiece is parallel to a straight line extending in a gaze direction of the pupil of the viewer gazing forward.

14. The head-mounted display device according to claim 12 , wherein a ratio R/f of a paraxial radius of curvature R of the first viewer-side lens surface to a rear-side focal length f of the first eyepiece is larger than 0 and smaller than 3.0.

15. The head-mounted display device according to claim 14 , wherein the optical axis of the first eyepiece is parallel to a straight line extending in a gaze direction of the pupil of the viewer gazing forward.

16. The head-mounted display device according to claim 14 , wherein the observation field angle of the first eyepiece is from 60 degrees to 120 degrees inclusive.

17. The head-mounted display device according to claim 16 , wherein the optical axis of the first eyepiece is parallel to a straight line extending in a gaze direction of the pupil of the viewer gazing forward.

18. A head-mounted display device that is worn on a head of a viewer when used, the head-mounted display device comprising:

a first display portion that is disposed in front of a pupil of the viewer gazing forward, while facing the pupil, the first display portion displaying a first image;

a second display portion that is disposed close to an ear of the viewer and diagonally in front of the pupil, while facing the pupil, the second display portion displaying a second image;

a first eyepiece having a first display-portion-side lens surface and a first viewer-side lens surface, disposed between the pupil and the first display portion, and projecting the first image onto the pupil, the first display-portion-side lens surface being a surface closer to the first display portion than the viewer, the first viewer-side lens surface being a surface closer to the viewer than the first display portion; and

a second eyepiece having a second display-portion-side lens surface and a second viewer-side lens surface, disposed between the pupil and the second display portion, and projecting the second image onto the pupil, the second display-portion-side lens surface being a surface closer to the second display portion than the viewer, the second viewer-side lens surface being a surface closer to the viewer than the second display portion,

wherein

the second eyepiece is disposed adjacent to the first eyepiece at a position closer to an ear of the viewer than the first eyepiece is,

an optical axis of the first eyepiece and an optical axis of the second eyepiece intersect with each other at an angle ranging from 30 degrees to 80 degrees inclusive,

the first display portion and the second display portion are separate and move separately,

a distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the first eyepiece is changeable,

a distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece is changeable such that the change is greater at a position closer to the first eyepiece, and

with an increase in the distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece, the distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece is increased.

19. A head-mounted display device that is worn on a head of a viewer when used, the head-mounted display device comprising:

a first display portion that is disposed in front of a pupil of the viewer gazing forward, while facing the pupil, the first display portion displaying a first image;

a second display portion that is disposed close to an ear of the viewer and diagonally in front of the pupil, while facing the pupil, the second display portion displaying a second image;

a first eyepiece having a first display-portion-side lens surface and a first viewer-side lens surface, disposed between the pupil and the first display portion, and projecting the first image onto the pupil, the first display-portion-side lens surface being a surface closer to the first display portion than the viewer, the first viewer-side lens surface being a surface closer to the viewer than the first display portion; and

a second eyepiece having a second display-portion-side lens surface and a second viewer-side lens surface, disposed between the pupil and the second display portion, and projecting the second image onto the pupil, the second display-portion-side lens surface being a surface closer to the second display portion than the viewer, the second viewer-side lens surface being a surface closer to the viewer than the second display portion,

wherein

the second eyepiece is disposed adjacent to the first eyepiece at a position closer to an ear of the viewer than the first eyepiece is,

an optical axis of the first eyepiece and an optical axis of the second eyepiece intersect with each other at an angle ranging from 30 degrees to 80 degrees inclusive,

a distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece is shorter than a distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece,

the distance between a flat surface of the second display portion and the second eyepiece becomes shorter with an increase in a distance from the first display portion,

a distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the first eyepiece is changeable,

the distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the first eyepiece is changeable, and

the distance between the second display portion and the second eyepiece is increased with an increase in the distance between the first display portion and the first eyepiece.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0139 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2019
From: MATSUMURA, YOSHIO; MAKINO, HIROYASU
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 049480/0363 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2016-134216 · Jul 6, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190155037A1 · May 23, 2019
Cited By (3)
US 12,259,556 US 12,298,506 US 12,416,808