EXTENDED REALITY HEADSET ASSEMBLY WITH PANCAKE LENS ASSEMBLIES AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING SAME
An extended reality (XR) headset assembly is described herein. The XR headset assembly includes a headset adapted to be worn by a user and a display system. The display system includes an imaging equipment housing that is coupled to the headset and a pair of pancake lens assemblies extending from a bottom outer surface of the imaging equipment housing. The pair of pancake lens assemblies includes a left-eye pancake lens assembly positioned adjacent a left eye of the user and a right-eye pancake lens assembly positioned adjacent a right eye of the user. Each pancake lens assembly is pivotably coupled to the support frame and includes a lens housing containing an image generator and an imaging lens assembly positioned between the image generator and the user's eye along an optical axis.
1 . An extended reality (XR) headset assembly comprising:
a headset adapted to be worn by a user and including:
a support frame including a pair of opposing support arms extending along a longitudinal axis and spaced along a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and
a display system coupled to the support frame and including:
an imaging equipment housing coupled to a forward portion of the support frame and positioned adjacent a forehead of the user;
a pair of pancake lens assemblies extending from a bottom outer surface of the imaging equipment housing and spaced along the transverse axis including a left-eye pancake lens assembly positioned adjacent a left eye of the user and a right-eye pancake lens assembly positioned adjacent a right eye of the user, each pancake lens assembly is pivotably coupled to the support frame and includes a lens housing containing an image generator and an imaging lens assembly positioned between the image generator and the user's eye along an optical axis; and
a controller housed within the imaging equipment housing and including one or more processors coupled to the pancake lens assemblies and programmed to display computer-generated images on the pancake lens assemblies.
2 . The XR headset assembly of claim 1 , wherein the imaging lens assembly includes:
a diopter adjustment lens group movable along the optical axis; and
an opposing pair of stationary singlet lenses positioned between the diopter adjustment lens group and the image generator.
3 . The XR headset assembly of claim 2 , wherein the imaging lens assembly includes a barrel cam mechanism coupled to the diopter adjustment lens group and configured to move the diopter adjustment lens group along the optical axis.
4 . The XR headset assembly of claim 2 , wherein the diopter adjustment lens group includes a singlet lens and a doublet lens.
5 . The XR headset assembly of claim 4 , wherein the diopter adjustment lens group includes the singlet lens positioned between the doublet lens and the pair of opposing stationary singlet lenses along the optical axis.
6 . The XR headset assembly of claim 4 , wherein the diopter adjustment lens group includes the doublet lens positioned between the singlet lens and the pair of opposing stationary singlet lenses along the optical axis.
7 . The XR headset assembly of claim 1 , wherein the display system includes:
an inter-pupil distance (IPD) adjustment system including:
a stationary center support mounted to the headset support frame;
a left transport apparatus slideably mounted to the stationary center support and coupled to the left-eye pancake lens assembly for supporting the left-eye pancake lens assembly from the stationary center support;
a right transport apparatus slideably mounted to the stationary center support and coupled to the right-eye pancake lens assembly for supporting the right-eye pancake lens assembly from the stationary center support; and
an IPD actuator configured to selectively move the left transport apparatus and the right transport apparatus along the transverse axis to adjust an inter-pupil spacing between the left-eye pancake lens assembly and the right-eye pancake lens assembly.
8 . The XR headset assembly of claim 7 , wherein each transport apparatus includes:
a dual thread lead screw rotatably coupled to the stationary center support; and
a display carrier coupled to a corresponding pancake lens assembly and the dual thread lead screw such that a rotation of the dual thread lead screw causes a movement of the display carrier and the corresponding pancake lens assembly along the transverse axis.
9 . The XR headset assembly of claim 8 , wherein the IPD adjustment system includes
an IPD distance indicator affixed to an outer surface of the display carrier indicating a current inter-pupil distance of the IPD adjustment system.
10 . The XR headset assembly of claim 8 , wherein the display system includes a positional actuator coupled to each display carrier and configured to rotate each display carrier and corresponding pancake lens assembly between a deployed position with the pancake lens assemblies positioned in front of the user's eyes, and a stowed position with the pancake lens assemblies pivoted to a position above the user's eyes.
11 . The XR headset assembly of claim 7 , wherein the display system includes a detachable visor assembly removably coupled to the stationary center support.
12 . The XR headset assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an audio system including:
a pair of speakers mounted to the opposing support arms; and
a plurality of microphones mounted to the bottom outer surface of the imaging equipment housing.
13 . The XR headset assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rechargeable protected battery pack assembly coupled to the support arms at a rear portion of the support frame and positioned adjacent the back of the user's head.
14 . A display system for use with an extended reality (XR) headset assembly including a headset adapted to be worn by a user and including a support frame including a pair of opposing support arms extending along a longitudinal axis and spaced along a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the display system comprising:
an imaging equipment housing coupled to a forward portion of the support frame and positioned adjacent a forehead of the user;
a pair of pancake lens assemblies extending from a bottom outer surface of the imaging equipment housing and spaced along the transverse axis including a left-eye pancake lens assembly positioned adjacent a left eye of the user and a right-eye pancake lens assembly positioned adjacent a right eye of the user, each pancake lens assembly is pivotably coupled to the support frame and includes a lens housing containing an image generator and an imaging lens assembly positioned between the image generator and the user's eye along an optical axis; and
a controller housed within the imaging equipment housing and including one or more processors coupled to the pancake lens assemblies and programmed to display computer-generated images on the pancake lens assemblies.
15 . The display system of claim 14 , wherein the imaging lens assembly includes:
a diopter adjustment lens group movable along the optical axis;
an opposing pair of stationary singlet lenses positioned between the diopter adjustment lens group and the image generator; and
a barrel cam mechanism coupled to the diopter adjustment lens group and configured to move the diopter adjustment lens group along the optical axis.
16 . The display system of claim 15 , wherein the diopter adjustment lens group includes a singlet lens and a doublet lens.
17 . The display system of claim 16 , wherein the diopter adjustment lens group includes the singlet lens positioned between the doublet lens and the pair of opposing stationary singlet lenses along the optical axis.
18 . The display system of claim 16 , wherein the diopter adjustment lens group includes the doublet lens positioned between the singlet lens and the pair of opposing stationary singlet lenses along the optical axis.
19 . The display system of claim 14 , further comprising:
an inter-pupil distance (IPD) adjustment system including:
a stationary center support mounted to the headset support frame;
a left transport apparatus slideably mounted to the stationary center support and coupled to the left-eye pancake lens assembly for supporting the left-eye pancake lens assembly from the stationary center support;
a right transport apparatus slideably mounted to the stationary center support and coupled to the right-eye pancake lens assembly for supporting the right-eye pancake lens assembly from the stationary center support;
wherein each transport apparatus includes:
a dual thread lead screw rotatably coupled to the stationary center support; and
a display carrier coupled to a corresponding pancake lens assembly and the dual thread lead screw such that a rotation of the dual thread lead screw causes a movement of the display carrier and the corresponding pancake lens assembly along the transverse axis;
an IPD distance indicator affixed to an outer surface of at least one display carrier indicating a current inter-pupil distance of the IPD adjustment system; and
an IPD actuator configured to selectively move the left transport apparatus and the right transport apparatus along the transverse axis to adjust an inter-pupil spacing between the left-eye pancake lens assembly and the right-eye pancake lens assembly.
20 . The display system of claim 19 , further comprising:
a positional actuator coupled to each display carrier and configured to rotate each display carrier and corresponding pancake lens assembly between a deployed position with the pancake lens assemblies positioned in front of the user's eyes, and a stowed position with the pancake lens assemblies pivoted to a position above the user's eyes.