Electronic devices with biased guide rails
A head-mounted device may be provided with displays. The displays and lenses through which images on the displays are viewed may be mounted in optical modules. Positioners may be used to move the optical modules towards and away from each other to adjust the head-mounted device to accommodate different user interpupillary distances. To support and guide the optical modules, the optical modules may be slidably mounted to guide rails. The guide rails may be biased against the optical modules using biasing systems. By using the biasing systems, misalignment between the optical modules can be reduced. If desired, guide rail sensors may be used to monitor the positions of the guide rails. In some configurations, the optical modules may be mounted to the guide rails using kinematic mounting.
1 . A head-mounted device, comprising:
a head-mounted support structure having left and right guide rails; and
left and right optical modules mounted for sliding motion on the left and right guide rails, respectively, wherein:
the right optical module has a first biasing system that presses against the right guide rail in a first direction and has a second biasing system that presses against the right guide rail in a second direction; and
the left optical module has a third biasing system that presses against the left guide rail in a third direction and has a fourth biasing system that presses against the left guide rail in a fourth direction.
2 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 1 wherein the left optical module comprises:
a left lens and a left display that provides a left eye image viewable through the left lens from a left eye box; and
a right lens and a right display that provides a right eye image viewable through the right lens from a right eye box.
3 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 2 wherein the left and right optical modules are separated by a distance and wherein the left and right optical modules are configured to slide along the left and right guide rails to adjust the distance.
4 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 3 further comprising an additional left guide rail and an additional right guide rail, wherein the left optical module is mounted to the additional left guide rail for sliding motion and wherein the right optical module is mounted to the additional right guide rail for sliding motion.
5 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 4 wherein the left optical module comprise a fifth biasing system configured to press against the additional left guide rail and wherein the right optical module comprises a sixth biasing system configured to press against the additional right guide rail.
6 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 1 wherein the left and right guide rails comprise cylindrical rods, wherein the left optical module has a left opening with a circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive the left guide rail and wherein the right optical module has a right opening with a circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive the right guide rail.
7 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 6 wherein the third and fourth biasing systems are configured to press the left guide rail against a location on an inner surface of the left opening facing a left eye box and wherein the first and second biasing systems are configured to press the right guide rail against a location on an inner surface of the right opening facing a right eye box.
8 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second biasing systems are configured to form part of a kinematic mounting system for the right optical module and wherein the third and fourth biasing systems are configured to form part of a kinematic mounting system for the left optical module.
9 . A head-mounted device, comprising:
a head-mounted support structure having an upper left elongated support member, a lower left elongated support member, an upper right elongated support member, and a lower right elongated support member;
a left optical component slidably coupled to the upper left elongated support member and the lower left elongated support member, wherein the left optical component comprises a biasing system configured to press against the upper left elongated support member; and
a right optical component slidably coupled to the upper right elongated support member and the lower right elongated support member, wherein the right optical component comprises a biasing system configured to press against the upper right elongated support member.
10 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 9 wherein the left optical component comprises a left optical module having a left lens and a left display configured to display a left eye image to a left eye box through the left lens and the right optical component comprises a right optical module having a right lens and a right display configured to display a right eye image to a right eye box through the right lens.
11 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 10 wherein the upper left elongated support member comprises an upper left cylindrical guide rail, wherein the lower left elongated support member comprises a lower left cylindrical guide rail, wherein the upper right elongated support member comprises an upper right cylindrical guide rail, and wherein the lower right elongated support member comprises a lower right cylindrical guide rail.
12 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 11 wherein the left optical module has an upper opening with a circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive the upper left cylindrical guide rail and has a lower opening with a circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive the lower left cylindrical guide rail and wherein the right optical module has an upper opening with a circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive the upper right cylindrical guide rail and has a lower opening with a circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive the lower right cylindrical guide rail.
13 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 12 wherein the left optical module has an additional biasing system, wherein the biasing system and the additional biasing system of the left optical module are configured to press against the upper left cylindrical guide rail in first and second different respective directions, wherein the right optical module has an additional biasing system, and wherein the biasing system and the additional biasing system of the right optical module are configured to press against the upper right cylindrical guide rail in third and fourth different respective directions.
14 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 13 wherein the first and second directions are orthogonal and wherein the third and fourth directions are orthogonal.
15 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 14 wherein the first and second directions are oriented to press the upper left cylindrical guide rail against a surface of the upper opening in the left optical module that faces the left eye box and wherein the third and fourth directions are oriented to press the upper right cylindrical guide rail against a surface of the upper opening in the right optical module that faces the right eye box.
16 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 15 wherein the left optical module further comprises a lower left biasing system configured to press against the lower left cylindrical guide rail and wherein the right optical module further comprises a lower right biasing system configured to press against the lower right cylindrical guide rail.
17 . A head-mounted device, comprising:
a head-mounted support structure having a guide rail;
an optical module having a portion configured to receive the guide rail; and
a biasing system coupled to the optical module that is configured to press against the guide rail and force the guide rail against the portion of the optical module.
18 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 17 wherein the biasing system comprises a biasing element and a biasing member that is pressed against an adjacent surface of the guide rail by the biasing element, wherein the portion is configured to form an opening with a cylindrical inner surface that receives the guide rail, and wherein the biasing member forces the guide rail against the cylindrical inner surface.
19 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 18 wherein the optical module comprises a lens and a display configured to provide an image that is viewable through the lens.
20 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 19 further comprising an electrically adjustable positioner configured to slide the optical module along the guide rail.
21 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 17 further comprising a guide rail position sensor configured to measure a position of the guide rail relative to the optical module.
22 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 17 wherein the portion is configured to form an opening with a cylindrical inner surface that receives the guide rail and wherein the biasing system comprises:
a biasing member; and
a biasing spring compressed between the biasing member and the optical module that is configured to press the biasing member against the guide rail.
23 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 22 wherein the biasing spring is located on a first side of the guide rail and is configured to press the biasing member against an opposing second side of the guide rail.
24 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 23 further comprising a pin that protrudes into the opening.
25 . The head-mounted device defined in claim 24 wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the first side of the guide rail against the pin.