DESCRIPTION
HEAD MOUNT DISPLAY
TECHNICAL FIELD
5 [0001]
The present invention relates to a head mount display
used in a state worn around the head of a user, and in particular
to a headmount display worn around the head while being adjusted
according to an increase in the entire weight of the device
10 and an individual difference in the size of the head or the
like of each user,
BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
15 Display devices to be worn around the head to view video,
that is, head mount displays (HMD) have been widely known.
A head mount display includes a display unit for each of left
and right eyes, and is combined with a headphone and configured
to be capable of visual and audio control. A configuration
20 to perfectly shut out the outside world while being worn around
the head increases virtual reality during viewing.
Furthermore, a head mount display is also capable of showing
different pictures to the left and right eyes, and can present
three-dimensional images by displaying images with a parallax
25 for the left and right eyes.
[0003]
A head mount display is a display system that provides
a user with virtual images (that is, focus virtual images on
the retinas) . Note that a virtual image is an image formed
30 on the side of an object when the object is nearer to a lens
than the focal length. In order to make a user view virtual
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images, the distance from the user at which the virtual images
are formed or the like is preferably varied depending on video,
for example. For example, a display device that provides
virtual images in a form suitable for video has been proposed
5 (refer to Patent Document 1, for example).
[0004]
Aheadmount display is similar to glasses for correcting
vision in having left and right independent optical systems.
Thus, a head mount display with a structure having rims for
10 supporting left and right display units and left and right
temples respectively connected to side edges of the left and
right rims at the outer corners of the eyes similarly to glasses
is known (refer, for example, to Patent Documents 2 and 3).
In this type of structure, the head mount display is supported
15 by the left and right rims in contact with a nosepiece formed
at the inner corners of the eyes and by end covers at the tips
of the left and right temples over the ears
[0005]
Since, however, a head mount display typically has heavy
20 loads such as display units including optical components made
of glass materials and an electric circuit board concentrated
on a body at the front, the head mount display can hardly be
used for a long time by the way of wearing instructed by a
nosepiece and left and right temples as described above owing
25 to excessive loads applied to the nose of the user. Obviously,
upper ends of ear lobes over which the end covers of the temples
are placed will hurt.
CITATION LIST
30 PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0006]
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Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2007-133415
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 4609256
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No,
5 2009-134276
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0007]
10 An object of the present invention is to provide an
excellent head mount display capable of being worn around the
head while being adjusted according to an increase in the entire
weight of the device and an individual difference in the size
of the head or the like of each user.
15
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
[0008]
The present application has been made in view of the
aforementioned problems, and the invention described in claim
20 1 is a head mount display including: a display unit for left
eye configured to display an image for a left eye; a display
unit for right eye configured to display an image for a right
eye; a body including the display unit for left eye and the
display unit for right eye; a forehead support arranged on
25 an upper part of the body; and a headband connected to a back
of the body and including an upper band and a lower band.
[0009]
According to the invention described in claim 2 of the
present application, the headband of the head mount display
30 according to claim 1 has an entire length adjusting mechanism
for adjusting an entire length thereof.
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[0010]
According to the invention described in claim 3 of the
present application, the forehead support of the head mount
display according to claim 1 has a height adjusting mechanism
5 for adjusting a height thereof from the upper part of the body.
[0011]
According to the invention described in claim 4 of the
present application, the lower band of the head mount display
according to claim 1 is made of a stretchable material, and
10 parts of the headband other than the lower band are made of
a soft but hardly stretchable material.
[0012]
According to the invention described in claim 5 of the
present application, the forehead support of the head mount
15 display according to claim 1 has a wearable sensor configured
to operate in conjunctions with a motion of a forehead coming
in contact with a head to detect that the head mount display
is worn by a user.
[0013]
20 According to the invention described in claim 6 of the
present application, the upper band and the lower band of the
head mount display according to claim 1 each have a length
adjusting part.
[0014]
25 According to the invention described in claim 7 of the
present application, the respective length adjusting parts
provided for the upper band and the lower band of the head
mount display according to claim 1 are arranged at off-center
positions of the upper band and the lower band.
30
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
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[0015]
According to the present invention, an excellent head
mount display capable of being worn around the head while being
adjusted according to an increase in the entire weight of the
5 device and an individual difference in the size of the head
or the like of each user can be provided.
[0016]
The headmount display according to the present invention
has a mechanism to be worn around the head of a user with a
10 three-point support by a forehead support, a lower band and
an upper band, and can be worn without making the user notice
the loads. Furthermore, since a mechanism for adjusting the
entire length of a headband having the upper band and the lower
band is provided and a mechanism for adjusting the height of
15 the forehead support is further provided, adjustment to a wide
variety of individual differences in the size of the head of
the user is possible.
[0017]
Other objects, features and advantages of the present
20 invention will be apparent from the following detailed
description of the present invention and the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
25 [0018]
Fig. lA is a view of a head mount display according to
the present proposal as viewed in a certain direction.
Fig. IB is a view of the head mount display according
to the present proposal as viewed in a certain direction.
30 Fig. IC is a view of the head mount display according
to the present proposal as viewed in a certain direction.
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Fig. ID is a view of the head mount display according
to the present proposal as viewed in a certain direction.
Fig. 2 is a view for explaining a way of being supported
on the head and an adjustable wearing mechanism of the head
5 mount display according to the present proposal.
Fig. 3 is a view depicting only a headband extracted
from the head mount display.
Fig. 4 is a view showing the positions where functions
accompanying the wearing mechanism are provided.
10 Fig. 5 is a view showing an exemplary configuration of
a wearable sensor equipped on a forehead support 102.
Fig. 6A is a view showing a height adjusting mechanism
equipped on the forehead support 102.
Fig. 6B is a view showing the height ad j us ting mechanism
15 equipped on the forehead support 102.
Fig. 7A is a view showing an exemplary configuration
of length adjusting parts applied to an upper band 104 and
a lower band 105.
Fig. 7B is a view showing the exemplary configuration
20 of the length adjusting parts applied to the upper band 104
and the lower band 105.
Fig. 8 is a view showing an exemplary configuration of
an entire length adjusting mechanism of the headband.
Fig. 9 is a view showing an exemplary configuration of
25 a mechanism for adjusting the position in the frontward and
backward direction and the vertical position of a headphone.
Fig. 10 is a diagram schematically showing a
configuration of an image display system including the head
mount display.
30
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
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[0019]
An embodiment of the present invention will be described
in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
5 Fig. 10 shows a configuration of an image display system
including a head mount display. The shown system includes
a body of a head mount display 10, a Blu-ray disc player 20
that is a source of contents to be viewed, a high-definition
display (an HDMI-compatible television, for example) 30 to
10 which contents reproduced by the Blu-ray disc player 20 are
output, and a front end box 40 that processes AV signals output
from the Blu-ray disc player 20.
[0021]
The front end box 40 corresponds to an HDMI repeater
15 that processes an AV signal output from the Blu-ray disc player
20 and input in HDMI and outputs the signal in HDMI, for example.
The front end box 40 is also a two output switcher that switches
the output of the Blu-ray disc player 20 between the head mount
display 10 and the high-definition display 30.
20 [0022]
While the front end box 40 has two outputs in the shown
example, the front end box 40 may have three or more outputs.
The front end box 40, however, has an output exclusive for
AV signals and gives first priority to output to the head mount
25 display 10. While the power of the head mount display 10 is
on or while the user is using the head mount display 10, AV
signals are output only to the head mount display 10.
Conversely, AV signals are output to the high-definition
television 30 (or another display, not shown, connected to
30 the front end box 40) with lower priority only while the user
is not using the head mount display 10 such as while the power
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of the head mount display 10 is off or while the head mount
display 10 is not connected.
[0023]
Note that HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)
5 is an interface standard for digital appliances mainly for
the purpose of transmitting audio and video based on DVI
(Digital Visual Interface) and using TMDS (Transition
Minimized Differential Signaling) at the physical layer.
This system is compliant with HDMI1.4, for example.
10 [0024]
The connections between the Blu-ray disc player 20 and
the front end box 40 and between the front end box 40 and the
high-definition display 30 are made by HDMI cables. While
the connection between the front end box 40 and the head mount
15 display 10 can also be made by an HDMI cable, the connection
is made by a proprietary cable and AV signals are serially
transferred thereby in the present embodiment. Note that AV
signals and power are supplied by one cable connecting the
front end box 40 and the head mount display 10, and the head
20 mount display 10 can also be supplied with driving power through
this cable.
[0025]
A head mount display includes a display unit for each
of left and right eyes, and is combined with a headphone and
25 configured to be capable of visual and audio control. A head
mount display is similar to glasses for correcting vision in
having left and right independent optical systems. Thus, a
head mount display with a structure having rims for supporting
left and right display units and left and right temples
30 respectively connected to side edges of the left and right
rims at the outer corners of the eyes similarly to glasses
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is known. Since, however, a head mount display typically has
heavy loads concentrated on a front part, the headmount display
can hardly be used for a long time owing to excessive loads
applied to the nose of the user.
5 [0026]
In the following, therefore, a headmount display having
a cap-like structure of a band-like structure wrapping the
entire circumference of the head and capable of being worn
while easing the strain on the user by distributing the load
10 of the device over the entire head will be proposed.
[0027]
Figs. lA to ID show a head mount display according to
the present proposal as viewed in various directions. With
the cap-like structure as shown, the load of the device can
15 be distributed over the entire head even if heavy loads are
concentrated on the front part of the body, and the device
can be worn while easing the strain on the user. Although
a cap-like head mount display itself can be found before the
present application, methods for adjustment when the weight
20 of the device is further increased and according to the
individual difference in the size of the head of each user
are unclear.
[0028]
Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a way of being supported
25 on the head and an adjustable wearing mechanism of the head
mount display according to the present proposal.
[0029]
The head mount display includes a body 101 containing
most components including a display system, a forehead support
30 102 protruding from an upper face of the body 101, a headband
(110) branching into an upper band 104 and a lower band 105,
4 10
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and left and right headphones. The body 101 accommodates a
display unit and a circuit board therein. In addition, a
nosepiece 103 is formed in a shape corresponding to the back
of the nose under the body 101.
5 [0030]
When the user wears the head mount display on the head,
the forehead support 102 comes in contact with the forehead
of the user and the upper band 104 and the lower band 105 of
the headband come in contact with the back of the head. That
10 is, the head mount display is worn on the head of the user
with a three-point support by the forehead support 102, the
upper band 104, and the lower band 105. Thus, unlike glasses
whose weight is mainly supported by a nose piece, the head
mount display can be worn while easing the strain on the user
15 by distributing the load of the device over the entire head.
Although the shown head mount display also has the nosepiece
103, the nosepiece 103 only contributes to supplementary
support. Furthermore, the motion of the head mount display
in the rotational direction can be supported by tightening
20 the forehead support with the headband so that the head mount
display will not turn from the head of the user on which the
head mount display is worn.
[0031]
Note that the headband includes an entire length
25 adjusting mechanism that is movable by a single latch and
released by a release button at a position before the branch
into the upper band 104 and the lower band 105, allowing the
user to adjust the entire length of the headband by a single
operation. The height of the forehead support 102 can be
30 adjusted, allowing a wider wearable range of the individually
different size of the head of the user. Details of functions
#
11
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accompanying these wearing mechanisms will be described later.
[0032]
Fig. 3 depicts only the headband extracted from the head
mount display. The headband 110 is made of a material that
5 is soft but non-stretchable such as nylon or polypropylene.
[0033]
The upper band 104 is soft and curved along the head
so as to support the load when worn, but hardly stretches so
as to prevent the head mount display from dropping off.
10 [0034]
The lower band 105, on the other hand, is made of a
stretchable material such as silicon rubber or elastomer, and
can be formed as a part integrated with the upper band 104
by two-color formation using different types of materials.
15 As expressed by shading in Fig. 3, a gradual change from the
non-stretchable material to the stretchable material is
produced by providing a range where the amounts of the materials
gradually change. The lower band 105 supports the head mount
display by holding the head by the elasticity of the rubber
20 in combination with the forehead support 102.
[0035]
In Fig. 4, the positions where the functions accompanying
the wearing mechanism are provided are shown by circles in
broken lines.
25 [0036]
The forehead support 102 is equipped with a wearable
sensor that operates in conjunction with the motion of the
forehead coming in contact with the head when the head mount
display is worn on the head of the user to detect that the
30 head mount display is worn by the user.
[0037]
#
12
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Fig. 5 shows an exemplary configuration of the wearable
sensor equipped on the forehead support 102. In the shown
example, the forehead support 102 is turnably supported on
an outer housing of the head mount display 10 by a rotating
5 shaft 142. In an unworn state, the forehead support 102 is
pushed out to an unworn position backward of the head mount
display 10, that is, toward the forehead of the user wearing
the head mount display 10 by the restoring force of the spring
144. In a worn state, on the other hand, the forehead 102
10 is pushed back to a forward worn position as a result of the
forehead of the user coming in contact thereto. In addition,
the rotating shaft 142 is attached with an arm 143 protruding
forward. In the worn state, the forehead support 102 is turned
by about 10 degrees about the rotating shaft 142. Thus, when
15 the forehead support 102 is pushed back forward as a result
of being worn by the user, the arms 143 moves in conjunction
therewith and operates a tact switch 141 with a front end portion
thereof. The operation of the tact switch 141 allows detection
that the head mount display 10 is worn by the user.
20 [0038]
Figs. 6A and 6B show a height adjusting mechanism
equipped on the forehead support 102.
[0039]
Fig. 6 shows a state in which the height of the forehead
25 support 102 is switchedby the operation of the height adjusting
mechanism. In Fig. 6A, the forehead support 102 set at a lower
position is shown by a solid line and the forehead support
102 set at an upper position is shown by a broken line. As
shown, the wearable range of the individually different size
30 of the head of the user can be made wider by adjusting the
height of the forehead 102 from the lower position to the upper
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position.
[0040]
The height adjustment for the forehead support 102 is
not limited to a specif ic mechanism. For example, the height
5 can be easily adjusted by making the forehead support 102
detachable, providing an attachment position for the lower
position and an attachment position for the upper position,
and performing operation of reattaching the forehead support
102. The left part of Fig. 6B shows of the forehead support
10 102 attached to the lower position and the right part of Fig.
6B the forehead support 102 attached to the upper position
in sectional views.
[0041]
Referring back to Fig. 4, length adjusting parts are
15 provided in the portions of the upper band 104 and the lower
band 105 in the circles in broken lines. Figs. 7A and 7B show
an exemplary configuration of the length adjusting parts
applied to the upper band 104 and the lower band 105. In the
shown example, the upper band 104 and the lower band are each
20 separated at an off-center position surrounded by the broken
line . One of the separated portions has two or more protrusions
formed at regular intervals in the lengthwise direction. The
other thereof has holes that engage with the protrusions formed
at the same intervals as the protrusions, the number of the
25 holes being larger than that of the protrusions. The lengths
of the upper band 104 and the lower band 105 are determined
depending on which holes the protrusions engage with.
Furthermore, since the respective lengths of the upper band
104 and the lower band 105 are determined independently, the
30 lengths can be adjusted according to the individual difference
in the shape of the back of the head of each user.
14
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[0042]
Note that, as a result of arranging the length adjusting
parts as shown in Figs. 7A and 7B at the off-center positions
of the upper band 104 and the lower band, the back of the head
5 of the user will not interfere with the length adjusting parts
when the user uses a reclining seat.
[0043]
It has already been mentioned above that the entire
length of the headband 110 can be adjusted and that the headband
10 110 is movable by a single latch and released by a release
button. Fig. 8 shows an exemplary configuration of the entire
length adjusting mechanism of the headband 110. The shown
entire length adjusting mechanism may be placed at one of right
and left ends of the headband 110.
15 [0044]
The headband 110 has a protruding part having a rack
toothed along a side face in the lengthwise direction at an
end thereof. On the other hand, the body 101 has an opening
124 that accommodates the protruding part with the rack at
20 a corresponding end thereof. Accordingly, the entire length
of the headband 110 is changed by the movement in the lengthwise
direction of the protruding part with the rack guided by the
opening 124.
[0045]
25 Furthermore, the body 110 has a single latch 121 having
a front end in a shape in engagement with the rack and turnably
supported at a position along the opening 124, and the restoring
force of a spring 122 acts in a direction pushing the front
end of the single latch 121 downward. The headband 110 is
30 thus fixed at a position where the front end of the single
latch 121 is engagement with the rack, whereby the entire length

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CLAIMS
1. A head mount display comprising:
a display unit for left eye configured to display an
5 image for a left eye;
a display unit for right eye configured to display an
image for a right eye;
a body including the display unit for left eye and the
display unit for right eye;
10 a forehead support arranged on an upper part of the body;
and
a headband connected to a back of the body and including
an upper band and a lower band.
15 2. The head mount display according to claim 1, wherein
the headband has an entire length adjusting mechanism for
adjusting an entire length thereof.
3. The head mount display according to claim 1, wherein
20 the forehead support has a height adjusting mechanism for
adjusting a height thereof from the upper part of the body.
4. The head mount display according to claim 1, wherein
the lower band is made of a stretchable material, and parts
25 of the headband other than the lower band are made of a soft
but hardly stretchable material.
5. The head mount display according to claim 1, wherein
the forehead support has a wearable sensor configured to
30 operate in conjunctions with a motion of a forehead coming
in contact with a head to detect that the head mount display
19
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10
is worn by a user.
6. The head mount display according to claim 1, wherein
the upper band and the lower band each have a length adjusting
part,
7. The head mount display according to claim 6, wherein
the respective length adjusting parts are arranged at
off-center positions of the upper band and the lower band.