FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)
“HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY DEVICE AND OPTICAL UNIT”
SONY CORPORATION, of 1-7-1, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
108-0075, Japan
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed.
2
Technical Field
[0001]
The technology disclosed in the present specification relates to a headmounted
display apparatus and an optical unit to be used by mounting 5 them on the
head of a user, and in particular a head-mounted display apparatus and an optical unit
having a display panel for displaying a video and an ocular optical portion for
projecting the image displayed on the display panel into user’s eyes.
10 Background Art
[0002]
There is widely known a displaying apparatus mounted on a head to view a
video, that is, a head mount display (HMD). The head mount display has an optical
unit for each of right and left eyes and is configured to be able to control the senses
15 of sight and hearing when it is used with headphones. When it is configured so as
to be completely cut off from the outside world at the time it is attached to the head,
the virtual reality is increased at the time of looking and listening. Also, the head
mount display can reflect different videos to right and left eyes, and, when images
with disparity are displayed to the right and left eyes, it is possible to present a 3D
20 image.
[0003]
A head mount display is a display system that provides a user with a virtual
image (i.e., that forms a virtual image on the retina of the eye). Here, the virtual
image is the one which, when an object is located closer to a lens compared to the
25 focal length, is formed on the side of the object.
[0004]
In a case where a user appreciates a virtual image, it is preferable, for
example, to vary the length from the user at which a virtual image is formed,
depending on videos. For example, there is proposed a head-mounted liquid crystal
30 display apparatus which is compact and light weight using small liquid crystal
display elements being 2 inches or less in diagonal and has a wider viewing angle,
3
achieved with a magnifying lens composed of three high refractive index plastic
lenses (refer to, e.g., Patent Literature 1).
[0005]
Also, there is proposed a display apparatus which provides a virtual image
in a form suitable to a video (refer to, e.g., Patent Literature 5 2). This display
apparatus is provided with a magnifying optical system in which the same virtual
image observed by the left eye and the right eye of a user is disposed on the same
plane, and is configured to control the distance of the virtual image from the user and
the size of the virtual image, depending on the aspect ratio of videos. For example,
10 videos such as movies and dramas with an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the highvision
broadcasting are formed on the retinas as a larger virtual image at a distant
location about 15 meters away from a user, whereas videos of television signals with
an aspect ratio of 4:3 according to National Television System Committee (NTSC)
system are formed on retinas as a middle size virtual image at a relatively close
15 location about 3 meters away from a user, thereby allowing a user to feel a realistic
sensation as well as decreasing a tired feeling at the time of appreciating a virtual
image.
[0006]
If high-resolution elements such as organic electro-luminescence (EL) are
20 used for the displaying portions for right and left eyes of a head mount display while
a suitable field angle is set in an optical system, and also a multichannel is
reproduced with a headphone, then such a realistic sensation as to be viewed in a
movie theater will be able to be reproduced. The present applicant aims to have a
head mount display capable of providing a viewing environment that is equal to the
25 best seat in a movie theater.
[0007]
If, in a head mount display, right and left optical axes of an optical system
are not coincident with each other with high precision, then an observing user ends
up feeling uncomfortable with the video. In order to allow the right and left optical
30 axes to be coincident with each other, it is general to adjust the positions of right and
left displaying portions such that a video to be observed is coincident with an
4
adjustment index. For example, there is proposed a head-mounted video display
apparatus with no or reduced need of adjustment of optical axes of liquid crystal
display elements, achieved by mounting the liquid crystal display elements on a
holding member after performing corresponding positional adjustment around X, Y
and ω axes, and then attaching the holding member with the liquid 5 crystal display
elements fixed thereon to an optical unit with an ocular lens housed therein (refer to,
e.g., Patent Literature 3).
[0008]
The present applicant considers that, in order to meet the required precision
10 as a head mount display, it is necessary to position and fix a display panel depending
on optical properties of a lens. The positioning precision of a display panel relative
to a lens must be at least a pixel size (e.g., 10 μ in the case of using organic electroluminescent
(EL) elements) or less.
[0009]
15 However, it is difficult to meet the aforementioned required precision with
mechanical positioning such as, for example, abutting and hole-mating.
Furthermore, in order to realize a structure that meets the aforementioned required
precision with the mechanical positioning, higher precision of components and
management according to the precision are required, causing increased costs of
20 components and increased assembly costs.
[0010]
For example, there is proposed a compact and lightened head mount display,
achieved by integrally molding a substrate of a liquid crystal display panel main
body and an ocular lens (refer to, e.g., Patent Literature 4). However, if the
25 substrate of the liquid crystal display panel main body and the ocular lens are made
integral, then the positioning precision of the liquid crystal display panel main body
and the optical axis of the ocular lens is fixed at the time of molding, making it
impossible to further perform positional adjustment with high precision.
Furthermore, it is considered that, when an ocular optical system is composed of a
30 plurality of lenses, it is difficult to integrally mold a plurality of ocular lenses with a
liquid crystal display panel main body being included.
5
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0011]
Patent Literature 5 1: JP H9-113823A
Patent Literature 2: JP 2007-133415A
Patent Literature 3: JP 2008-249869A, paragraph [0030]
Patent Literature 4: JP H8-278476A
10 Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0012]
The purpose of the technology disclosed in the present specification is to
provide an excellent head-mounted display apparatus and an optical unit, provided
15 with a display panel for displaying a video and an ocular lens for projecting the
image displayed on the display panel into user’s eyes, and configured such that the
display panel can be precisely aligned depending on optical properties of the ocular
lens.
20 Solution to Problem
[0013]
The present disclosure has been achieved in view of the above problem, and
the first aspect of the present disclosure provides a head-mounted display apparatus
including a display panel portion including a display panel configured to display an
25 image, an ocular optical portion having a lens integrally formed with an attaching
part to which the display panel portion is attached, and configured to perform optical
processing for a video displayed by the display panel, a video signal processing
portion configured to process a video signal, and a display controlling portion
configured to drive the display panel based on the video signal processed at the video
30 signal processing portion.
[0014]
6
According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, the lens having the
attaching part of the head-mounted display apparatus according to the first aspect is
made of a transparent resin-molded lens, with which the attaching part is integrally
molded.
5 [0015]
According to the third aspect of the present disclosure, the attaching part of
the head-mounted display apparatus according to the second aspect includes a
plurality of fixing pins integrally molded with the transparent resin-molded lens.
The fixing pin is inserted through a fixing hole bored on a side of the display panel
10 portion to attach the display panel portion to the ocular optical portion.
[0016]
According to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in the headmounted
display apparatus according to the third aspect, the fixing pin is provided at
a location where no light of a video displayed on an effective area of the display
15 panel passes through on a surface of the transparent resin-molded lens.
[0017]
According to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in the head-mounted
display apparatus according to the third aspect, the plurality of fixing pins are
provided at locations that are symmetrical with respect to an optical center of the
20 transparent resin-molded lens.
[0018]
According to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the ocular optical
portion of the head-mounted display apparatus according to the first aspect has a
plurality of lenses, and the lens which is integral with the attaching part is the most
25 adjacent to the display panel.
[0019]
According to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, the head-mounted
display apparatus according to the first aspect further includes a display panel
cooling portion configured to cool the display panel.
30 [0020]
According to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel
7
cooling portion of the head-mounted display apparatus according to the seventh
aspect has a heat sink configured to be brought into surface contact with a substrate
side of the display panel.
[0021]
According to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure, 5 the head-mounted
display apparatus according to the eighth aspect further includes a heat conductive
grease configured to fill a gap that occurs at a time of bringing the heat sink into
surface contact with the substrate side of the display panel.
[0022]
10 According to the tenth aspect of the present disclosure, the head-mounted
display apparatus according to the first aspect further includes a display panel sealing
portion configured to seal a light-emitting face of the display panel.
[0023]
According to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel
15 sealing portion of the head-mounted display apparatus according to the tenth aspect
has a cover frame configured to cover a side part of the display panel fixed by the
display panel holding portion, and a lid portion configured to close an opening of the
cover frame.
[0024]
20 According to the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, in the headmounted
display apparatus according to the eleventh aspect, the lid portion is the
heat sink configured to be brought into surface contact with a substrate side of the
display panel.
[0025]
25 According to the thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the headmounted
display apparatus according to the twelfth aspect further includes a heat
conductive grease configured to fill a gap that occurs at a time of bringing the heat
sink into surface contact with the substrate side of the display panel.
[0026]
30 The invention according to the fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure
provides an optical unit for a head-mounted display apparatus including a display
8
panel portion including a display panel configured to display an image, and an ocular
optical portion having a lens integrally formed with an attaching part to which the
display panel portion is attached, and configured to perform optical processing for a
video displayed by the display panel.
5
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0027]
According to the technology disclosed in the present specification, there can
be provided an excellent head-mounted display apparatus and an optical unit,
10 provided with a display panel for displaying a video and an ocular lens for projecting
the image displayed on the display panel into user’s eyes, and configured such that
the display panel can be precisely aligned depending on optical properties of the
ocular lens.
[0028]
15 According to the technology disclosed in the present specification, there can
be provided an excellent head-mounted display apparatus and an optical unit,
configured such that a display panel can be aligned relative to an ocular lens with
such precision as to be the pixel size of the display panel or less without impairing
compactness and light weight.
20 [0029]
Still other purposes, features and advantages of the technology disclosed in
the present specification will be clarified by more detailed description based on the
following embodiments and accompanying drawings.
25 Brief Description of Drawings
[0030]
[FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an image
display system including a head mount display.
[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of the top face of a head
30 mount unit 10 main body from above.
[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of a
9
head mount unit 10.
[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to position and fix a
display panel on a lens tube via a panel holder.
[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to position and fix a
display panel on a lens tube 5 via a panel holder.
[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to position and fix a
display panel on a lens tube via a panel holder.
[FIG. 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to position and fix a
display panel on a lens tube via a panel holder.
10 [FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to position and fix a
display panel on a lens tube via a panel holder.
[FIG. 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to position and fix a
display panel on a lens tube via a panel holder.
[FIG. 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the top face of a transparent resin-molded
15 lens with a fixing pin being integrally molded therewith.
[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the structure in which a display panel is
directly positioned and fixed using fixing pins integrally molded with a transparent
resin-molded lens.
[FIG. 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to directly position
20 and fix a display panel using fixing pins integrally molded with a transparent resinmolded
lens.
[FIG. 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to directly position
and fix a display panel using fixing pins integrally molded with a transparent resinmolded
lens.
25 [FIG. 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the method of how to directly position
and fix a display panel using fixing pins integrally molded with a transparent resinmolded
lens.
[FIG. 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the appearance in which a cover frame
1104 is attached to a lens tube of an ocular optical lens portion 1101.
30
Description of Embodiments
10
[0031]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the technology disclosed in the present
specification will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0032]
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the configuration of an 5 image display system
including a head mount display. The illustrated system is composed of a Blu-ray
disc reproducing apparatus 20 which is a source of viewing contents, a front end box
40 for processing an AV signal output from the Blu-ray disc reproducing apparatus
20, a head-mounted display apparatus (head mount unit) 10 which is an output
10 destination of the reproduced contents of the Blu-ray disc reproducing apparatus 20,
and a high-vision display (e.g., HDMI (registered trademark) compatible television)
30 which is another output destination of the reproduced contents of the Blu-ray disc
reproducing apparatus 20. The head mount unit 10 and the front end box 40
constitute one set of a head mount display.
15 [0033]
The front end box 40 corresponds to an HDMI (registered trademark)
repeater that, when receiving an HDMI (registered trademark) input of an AV signal
output from the Blu-ray disc reproducing apparatus 20, performs signal processing
and HDMI (registered trademark) output, for example. Also, the front end box 40
20 also denotes a two-way output switcher that switches the output destination of the
Blu-ray disc reproducing apparatus 20 to one of the head mount unit 10 and the highvision
display 30. In the illustrated example, although the front end box 40 has two
outputs, it may have three outputs or more. However, in the front end box 40, the
output destination of AV signals is exclusive and the highest priority is assigned to
25 an output to the head mount unit 10.
[0034]
It is noted that High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI (registered
trademark)) is an interface standard which is formed based on a Digital Visual
Interface (DVI), includes a physical layer of Transition Minimized Differential
30 Signaling (TMDS), and is used for a digital home electric appliance which is mainly
used for transmitting sounds and videos. The present system conforms to HDMI
11
(registered trademark) 1.4, for example.
[0035]
An HDMI (registered trademark) cable connects between the Blu-ray disc
reproducing apparatus 20 and the front end box 40 and between the front end box 40
and the high-vision display 30. Although it is possible to employ 5 a configuration in
which an HDMI (registered trademark) cable connects between the front end box 40
and the head mount unit 10, cables of other specifications may be used to perform
serial transfer of AV signals. However, it is assumed that AV signals and power are
supplied by one cable connecting between the front end box 40 and the head mount
10 unit 10, and the head mount unit 10 can acquire drive power through this cable.
[0036]
FIG. 2 illustrates the appearance of the top face of a head mount unit 10
main body from above.
[0037]
15 The head mount unit 10 is provided with two independent displaying
portions for the left eye and the right eye. Each of the displaying portions employs
a display panel composed of organic electro-luminescent (EL) elements, for example.
Furthermore, each of the right and left displaying portions is equipped with a wide
viewing angle ocular optical system with low distortion and high resolution. If a
20 video on the display panel is enlarged and projected with this ocular optical system
to set a wider field angle while a multichannel is reproduced with a headphone, then
such a realistic sensation as to be viewed in a movie theater can be reproduced.
[0038]
The head mount unit 10 has an optical system independently for the right
25 and left sides, while the eye level and interpupillary distance vary individually for
each user, and thus it is required to align the optical systems and the eyes of a user
who wears it. Therefore, the head mount unit 10 main body portion is equipped
with an interpupillary distance adjustment mechanism for adjusting interpupillary
distance between a displaying portion for the right eye and a displaying portion for
30 the left eye.
[0039]
12
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the internal configuration of a head mount
unit 10. Hereinafter, each portion will be explained.
[0040]
An operating portion 301 is provided with operators such as a touch sensor,
a button, and a key (e.g., power button and cross key, any of which is 5 not illustrated) .
A controlling portion 302 comprehensively controls actions inside the head mount
unit 10 depending on the control information via the operating portion 301.
Specifically, the controlling portion 302 instructs a video controlling portion 303 to
process video signals, instructs an OSD controlling portion 304 to draw an OSD
10 screen, and instructs an MISC controlling portion 305 to perform various actions
inside equipment.
[0041]
A video input interface 306 inputs video signals reproduced and output from
the Blu-ray disc reproducing apparatus 20 (refer to FIG. 1) through the front end box
15 40. The video controlling portion 303 performs image quality adjustment for input
video signals and other signal processing depending on the instructions from the
controlling portion 302, to write into a video buffer 307. Furthermore, the
controlling portion 302 instructs the video controlling portion 303 to draw a cursor
into a video based on the operation information from the operating portion 301.
20 [0042]
The OSD controlling portion 304 draws an OSD screen to be superimposed
on an original video depending on information conveyed from the controlling portion
302, to write into an OSD buffer 308. The OSD screen includes one or more menu
button(s) to be selected by a user via the operating portion 301 such as a touch sensor,
25 a sub menu to be pulled down from the menu button(s), thus text information, and
the like.
[0043]
An MISC controlling portion 305 performs OSD control and controls other
than the video control depending on the information conveyed from the controlling
30 portion 302.
[0044]
13
An image synthesizing portion 309 superimposes the OSD screen written
into the OSD buffer 308 on the video data written into the video buffer 307, to output
to a display controlling portion 310.
[0045]
The display controlling portion 310 divides the input 5 video signals into a
video signal for the left eye and a video signal for the right eye to control drawings
for a left eye display panel 311L and a right eye display panel 311R. The left eye
display panel 311L and the right eye display panel 311R are composed of displaying
devices such as, for example, organic electro-luminescent (EL) elements and a liquid
10 crystal.
[0046]
The left eye display panel 311L and the right eye display panel 311R are
equipped, respectively, with ocular optical lens portions 312L and 312R for enlarging
and projecting videos. Each of the left and right ocular optical lens portions 312 L
15 and 312R is composed of a combination of a plurality of lenses, and performs such
optical processing as to enlarge and project videos displayed by the left eye display
panel 311L and the right eye display panel 311R for the left and right eyes of an
observer. The videos displayed on light-emitting faces of the left eye display panel
311L and the right eye display panel 311R are respectively enlarged when they pass
20 through the ocular optical lens portions, to form a large virtual image on retinas of a
user. Then, a video for the left eye and a video for the right eye are integrated in the
brain of an observing user.
[0047]
In order to meet the required precision as the head mount display, it is
25 necessary to position and fix the display panels 311L and 311R depending on the
optical properties of the ocular optical lens portions 312L and 312R. The
positioning precision of the display panels 311L and 311R relative to the ocular
optical lens portions 312L and 312R must be at least a pixel size (e.g., 10 μ in the
case of using organic electro-luminescent (EL) elements) or less.
30 [0048]
Here, the optical properties of the ocular optical lens portions 312L and
14
312R have dispersions within the tolerance with respect to designed values. Also,
the pixel positions of the left eye display panel 311L and the right eye display panel
311R have dispersions within the tolerance with respect to panel outer frames to
which the display panels 311L and 311R are attached.
5 [0049]
Furthermore, when the ocular lens is made of a glass material, it is not
possible to directly position and fix the display panel on the ocular lens; it is
considered that, usually, a first mechanism component for holding the ocular lens
and a second mechanism component for attaching the display panel to the first
10 mechanism component intervene for positioning and fixing the ocular lens and the
display panel.
[0050]
For example, in the specification of Patent Application No. 2011-186622
which has already been assigned to the present applicant, as illustrated in FIG. 4,
15 there is disclosed an optical unit of a head mount unit configured such that a panel
portion 403 having the display panel being fixed in advance on a panel outer frame
403A is supported by a panel holder 402, and that the panel holder 402 is attached to
a lens tube 401 of the ocular lens.
[0051]
20 Since right and left optical units are symmetrical, an optical unit for the left
eye is illustrated in FIG. 4, and the illustration of an optical unit for the right eye is
omitted. The illustrated optical unit is composed of the lens tube 401 housing a
plurality of lenses, the panel holder 402, the panel portion 403 having the display
panel being fixed in advance on the panel outer frame 403A, a cover frame 404 for
25 covering the side part of the display panel together with the panel holder 402, and a
heat sink 405 composed of a material having a higher heat conductivity.
[0052]
Four fixing pins are provided at the four corners of the surface of the lens
tube 401. However, the optical properties of the lens tube 401 have dispersions (i.e.,
30 individual differences) within the tolerance with respect to designed values. Also,
the panel holder 402 is screwed to the lens tube 401.
15
[0053]
The panel portion 403 is obtained by adhering and fixing the display panel
to the panel outer frame 403A in advance. The panel outer frame 403A has fixing
holes being bored, through which each of the fixing pins (mentioned above) fixed on
the lens tube 401 are inserted. The display panel is composed 5 of displaying
elements such as organic electro-luminescence (EL), and the panel outer frame 403A
is composed of a substrate, Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC), on which the display
panel is mounted. The pixel position of the display panel has dispersions within the
tolerance with respect to the panel outer frame 403A.
10 [0054]
FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the appearance in which the respective
fixing pins of the panel holder 402 are inserted, respectively, through the
corresponding fixing holes of the panel portion 403 side. Furthermore, FIGS. 6 to 9
diagrammatically illustrate the procedure in which the panel portion 403 is
15 positioned and fixed to the lens tube 401 housing the ocular lens via the panel holder
402.
[0055]
First, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the panel holder 402 is attached to the surface
of the lens tube 401 with four screws at four corners. In this state, the fixing pins of
20 the panel holder 402 are protruded to the opposite side of the lens tube 401.
[0056]
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the respective fixing pins of the panel holder
402 screwed to the surface of the lens tube 401 are inserted, respectively, through the
corresponding fixing holes of the panel portion 403 side on which the display panel
25 is mounted. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a UV resin is poured into each of the
fixing holes to fill the gap relative to the fixing pin. In this state, while varying the
position of the display panel in six-axial directions of X, Y and Z axes as well as roll,
pitch and yaw via the panel portion 403, the display panel is positioned relative to the
optical axis of the lens tube 401, in accordance with individual dispersions within the
30 tolerance of the optical properties of the lens tube 401 and with individual
dispersions of the pixel position of the display panel relative to the panel outer frame
16
403A. Positioning of the display panel relative to the optical axis of the lens tube
401 is performed with the precision of a pixel size or less, for example.
[0057]
Then, when the position of the display panel relative to the lens tube 401 is
determined, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a location near each of 5 the fixing pins is
irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the UV resin having filled the gap relative to
the fixing pin, thereby enabling the display panel to be fixed at a desired position
relative to the lens tube 401.
[0058]
10 In the case of the positioning and fixing method with the panel holder 402
intervening as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 to 9, a positioning element (positioning
hole) and a fixing means (four screws) relative to the lens tube 401 are necessary.
Also, the panel holder 402 is a high value-added component with precision
management being required, causing increased costs. The panel holder 402 is, for
15 example, a metal-pressed product, and requires surface treatment (or matte coating)
for preventing unnecessary light reflection. It is concerned that, when the panel
holder 402 is screwed to the lens tube 401, fine bare metal shavings or dust due to
plating may occur, causing dust of this kind to be adhered to an effective display area
of the display panel.
20 [0059]
In addition, when the display panel is positioned with the panel holder 402
intervening, it becomes difficult to make the lens tube 401 more compact and
lightened, due to conditions such as: (1) spaces for disposing a positioning element
and a fixing element are required; and (2) the center position of each of the fixing
25 pins must be coincident with that of the corresponding fixing hole of the panel
portion 403 side. Also, when the UV resin having filled the fixing hole is cured, the
shade of the fixing pin prevents the UV resin from being irradiated, causing
insufficient curing. In order to cure the UV resin evenly, there is no other choice
but to irradiate ultraviolet rays from above the fixing pin so as not to shade it.
30 [0060]
Then, the present applicant proposes a method in which an attachment
17
portion for positioning and fixing a display panel (specifically, a panel portion on
which the display panel is mounted) is provided integrally with an ocular optical lens
portion, so that the display panel is directly attached to the ocular optical lens portion
without a component such as the panel holder 402 intervening.
5 [0061]
Specifically, at least one lens constituting the ocular optical lens portion is
employed as a transparent resin-molded lens, and a fixing pin as the attachment
portion of the display panel is integrally molded with this transparent resin-molded
lens. The ocular optical lens portion is usually composed of a plurality of lenses; if
10 all of these are made to be resin-molded products, then the ocular optical lens portion
can be light weigh with less cost.
[0062]
Here, examples of lens materials include transparent thermoplastic resins
(e.g., Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP), PolyCarbonate (PC), Poly Methyl MethAcrylate
15 (PMMA), Methylmethacrylate Styrene copolymerization (MS) resins, and the like)
to be used for optical applications.
[0063]
When two or more lenses inside the ocular optical lens portion are made to
be resin-molded products, the fixing pin may be integrally molded with either of
20 these resin-molded lenses. However, taking account of operabilities such as easy
assembly and attaching position adjustment, it is preferable that a lens which is the
most adjacent (i.e., the most external) to the display panel is integrally molded with
the fixing pin.
[0064]
25 Furthermore, in order not to prevent the observation of a displayed video on
the display panel due to formation of the fixing pin on the lens surface, it is necessary
to determine a position at which a fixing pin is disposed, taking full account of the
optical properties of the ocular optical lens portion. That is, it is preferable to
provide a fixing pin at a location where no light of a video displayed on the effective
30 area of the display panel passes through. Also, taking account of the operabilities,
or the like to allow the center position of each of the fixing pins to be coincident with
18
that of the corresponding fixing hole of the panel portion side, it is preferable to
dispose the respective fixing pins at locations that are symmetrical with respect to the
center of the optical axis of the resin-molded lens.
[0065]
FIG. 10 illustrates a top view (refer to FIG. 10(A)) and a side 5 view (refer to
FIG. 10 (B)) of the transparent resin-molded lens with each of the fixing pins being
integrally molded therewith at locations not interfering with optical properties of the
ocular optical lens portion and being symmetrical with respect to the center of the
optical axis of the ocular optical lens portion.
10 [0066]
On one surface (bottom face side in FIG. 10 (B)) of a transparent resinmolded
component 1000 forming a rectangular contour, a lens portion 1001 is
provided which has a spherical or aspherical lens shape so as to obtain optical
properties as an ocular optical lens. The lens portion 1001 has an optical center
15 around approximately the center of the rectangle. A light of a video displayed on
the effective area of the display panel passes through the lens portion 1001 to be
enlarged and projected in the eyes of an observer.
[0067]
Furthermore, the other surface (top face side in FIG. 10 (B)) of the
20 transparent resin-molded component 1000 has an approximately flat shape, and
fixing pins 1002, 1003, 1004 and 1005 are protruded at the four corners of this
surface. These four fixing pins 1002 to 1005 are disposed at locations where no
light of a video displayed on the effective area of the display panel passes through, so
that observation of a video on the display panel is not hampered. Also, at locations
25 that are symmetrical with respect to the optical center of the lens portion 1001, a
group of the fixing pin 1002 and the fixing pin 1005 and a group of the fixing pin
1003 and the fixing pin 1004 are respectively provided.
[0068]
Furthermore, FIG. 11 illustrates the sectional configuration of an ocular
30 optical lens portion 1101 in a state where fixing pins are formed on a transparent
resin-molded lens which is the most adjacent to the display panel and a panel portion
19
is directly attached to the fixing pins.
[0069]
A display panel 1102 is mounted on a panel outer frame 1103A made of
PolyCarbonate (PC), to constitute a panel portion 1103. Also, on the panel outer
frame 1103A, fixing holes are bored at locations corresponding 5 to the respective
fixing pins integrally molded with a first lens 1101-1.
[0070]
The ocular optical lens portion 1101 has the total of n pieces of transparent
resin-molded lenses of the first lens 1101-1, a second lens 1101-2, …, and an n-th
10 lens 1101-n, and these are positioned and supported by a lens tube that is not
illustrated so as to obtain a desired optical properties (the optical axes of the
respective lenses are supposed to be coincident with each other).
[0071]
The first lens 1101-1 is disposed at a location which is the most adjacent
15 (i.e., the most external) to the display panel. On one surface of the first lens 1101-1,
a spherical or aspherical lens shape is formed, in order to obtain desired optical
properties. Also, on the other surface (display panel 1102 side) of the first lens
1101-1, fixing pins are integrally molded. As has already been explained with
reference to FIG. 10, the respective fixing pins of the first lens 1101-1 do not
20 interfere with the optical properties of the ocular optical lens portion 1101, and are
provided at four corners so as to be symmetrical with respect to the optical axis.
[0072]
Here, a method for attaching the display panel will be explained with
reference to FIGS. 12 to 14.
25 [0073]
First, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the respective fixing pins integrally molded
with the first lens 1101-1 are respectively inserted through the corresponding fixing
holes of the panel outer frame 1103A side, to directly attach the display panel 1102 to
the first lens 1101-1 together with the panel portion 1103. The attachment of the
30 panel portion 1103 does not involve a screwing operation using screws, and thus
there is no concern for occurrence of dust.
20
[0074]
Then, in a state where the panel portion 1103 is attached to the first lens
1101-1, while varying the position of the display panel 1102 in six-axial directions of
X, Y and Z axes as well as roll, pitch and yaw, the display panel 1102 is positioned,
in accordance with individual dispersions within the tolerance 5 of the optical
properties of the ocular optical lens portion 1101 and with individual dispersions of
the pixel position of the display panel 1102 relative to the panel outer frame 1103A.
Positioning of the display panel 1102 relative to the optical axis of the ocular optical
lens portion 1101 is performed with the precision of a pixel size or less, for example.
10 [0075]
For example, while allowing the display panel 1102 to display such a lightemitting
pattern as to enable to recognize a spatial position and posture of the display
panel 1102 and recognizing this in the filmed image of a camera (not illustrated), the
relative position of the display panel 1102 relative to the ocular optical lens portion
15 1101 is adjusted in six-axial directions.
[0076]
Then, when the position of the display panel 1102 relative to the ocular
optical lens portion 1101 is determined, with the position being maintained, as
illustrated in FIG. 13, a UV resin is poured into each of the fixing holes to fill the gap
20 relative to the fixing pin. However, it is also possible to perform an operation to
insert the fixing pin as illustrated in FIG. 12 after the fixing holes are filled with the
UV resin in advance.
[0077]
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 14, a location near each of the fixing pins is
25 irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the UV resin having filled the gap relative to
the fixing pin, thereby fixing the display panel 1102 at a desired position relative to
the ocular optical lens portion 1101. Each of the fixing pins is integrally molded
with the transparent resin-molded lens, which means that it has transparency.
Therefore, there is a merit in which, when the UV resin is irradiated with ultraviolet
30 rays, the fixing pin is not shaded, facilitating setting of curing condition and
management. For example, even if ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the side of
21
the fixing pin, the UV resin can be cured evenly.
[0078]
Materials for each of the lenses used in the ocular optical lens portion 1101
are transparent thermoplastic resins (e.g., Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP),
PolyCarbonate (PC), Poly Methyl MethAcrylate (PMMA), 5 Methylmethacrylate
Styrene copolymerization (MS) resins, and the like) used for optical applications, and
have a linear expansion coefficient close to that of the panel outer frame 1103A made
of PolyCarbonate (PC), or the like. Therefore, a relative displacement variation
with respect to temperature change is equal to approximately zero between the fixing
10 hole of the panel outer frame 1103A and the fixing pin of the lens 1101-1 side.
[0079]
In contrast, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9, in the case of the structure in
which the display panel is attached to the lens tube 401 via the panel holder 402, a
relative expansion/shrinkage difference between the panel holder 402 made of a
15 metal material and the panel outer frame 403A employing PolyCarbonate (PC) as a
material is 0.02 mm, which is not small (provided that the difference at the time of
fluctuation at 40°C is indicated, and the distance between the lens center and the
fixing pin is supposed to be 13 mm). Therefore, it is necessary to devise ways to
suppress relative displacement variation with respect to temperature change between
20 the panel outer frame 403A (i.e., display panel) and the center of the optical axis of
the lens.
[0080]
As described above, according to the technology disclosed in the present
specification, the attachment portion such as the fixing pin for attaching the panel
25 holder 402, namely, the display panel is integrally molded with the ocular lens which
is an injection-molded product, and thus it can be said that the shaping flexibility of a
holding structure is improved.
[0081]
Furthermore, according to the attachment structure of the display panel as
30 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 14, it becomes unnecessary to allow a mechanism
component such as the panel holder 402 to intervene. Therefore, it becomes
22
possible to reduce the weight and costs of the panel holder 402 component as well as
the operating costs of screwing the panel holder 402 to the lens tube 401. Since the
same holds true for the right and left display panels, the effects of reduced weight
and costs are doubled. Also, the occurrence of dust accompanying screwing of the
panel holder 402 is eliminated, and thus there will also be 5 no concern for the
effective display area of the display panel being contaminated due to dust adhesion.
[0082]
It is noted that, if foreign matters such as dirt adheres to the surface of the
display panel 1102, it is enlarged by a lens to be observed by a user, resulting in
10 degraded image quality, which causes commercial value to be impaired. Therefore,
it is necessary to have a dust-proof structure for sealing the light-emitting face of the
display panel 1102. This dust-proof structure will be explained with reference to
FIG. 15. In FIG. 15, the sealing structure for protecting the light-emitting face of
the display panel from dust is mainly composed of three articles of a lens tube of the
15 ocular optical lens portion 1101, a cover frame 1104, and a heat sink 1105.
[0083]
The lens tube of the ocular optical lens portion 1101 and the cover frame
1104 are in close contact with each other without any gap on a face opposite to each
other. Also, the cover frame 1104 and the heat sink 1105 are in close contact with
20 each other on a face opposite to each other. Here, a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC)
take-out part of the display panel 1102 on the backside of the cover frame 1104 has a
cushion material (not illustrated) being stuck thereon for alleviating external load on
the Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC), so as to have a structure to press the Flexible
Printed Circuit (FPC) via the cushion material. The assembly operation as
25 described above is performed inside a clean booth; it is preferable to prevent dust
from entering at the time of assembly and from being adhered to the light-emitting
face of the display panel 1102. Also, after completion of the assembly, the lightemitting
face of the display panel 1102 comes to have a dust-proof structure.
[0084]
30 Furthermore, for the displaying portion of the head mount unit 10, slim type
display elements are used such as the aforementioned organic electro-luminescent
23
(EL) elements and liquid crystal display. It has been known that a display panel
produced with this kind of semiconductor process entails heat generation depending
on power consumption. On the other hand, it is considered that, since maximum
drive temperature of the display panel is determined, the display panel incorporated
into the head mount unit 10 needs to be managed within 5 the maximum drive
temperature.
[0085]
In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the display panel 1102
has a cooling structure such that heat is exhausted from the surface (i.e., backside of
10 the light-emitting face) of the substrate side through the heat sink 1105. Here, the
height of the cover frame 1104 in the optical axial direction is made to be such a size
as to have a space between the backside of the display panel 1102 and the heat sink
1105 when the heat sink 1105 is attached. Before the attachment, a gap between the
backside of the display panel 1102 and the heat sink 1105 which are opposite to each
15 other is filled with a heat conductive grease. Also, when assembling, a suitable
amount of the heat conductive grease is applied in advance to the backside of the
display panel 1102 or the heat sink 1105. Therefore, when the heat sink 1105 is
attached, the heat conductive grease is spread, to be in such a state that a certain area
between the backside of the display panel 1102 and the heat sink 1105 is filled
20 therewith. Here, as the heat conductive grease, it is preferable to use the one having
an appropriate viscosity and thixotropy so as not to be dripped or flowed out from the
gap.
[0086]
Furthermore, while six-axial adjustment/fixing of the display panel 1102
25 causes occurrence of size dispersions in the position of the display panel 1102
relative to the heat sink 1105, the cooling structure using the illustrated heat sink
1105 and the heat conductive grease also has an effect of being able to absorb the
size dispersions.
[0087]
30 Additionally, the present technology may also be configured as below.
(1)
24
A head-mounted display apparatus including:
a display panel portion including a display panel configured to display an
image;
an ocular optical portion having a lens integrally formed with an attaching
part to which the display panel portion is attached, and configured 5 to perform optical
processing for a video displayed by the display panel;
a video signal processing portion configured to process a video signal; and
a display controlling portion configured to drive the display panel based on
the video signal processed at the video signal processing portion.
10 (2)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (1),
wherein the lens having the attaching part is made of a transparent resinmolded
lens, with which the attaching part is integrally molded.
(3)
15 The head-mounted display apparatus according to (2),
wherein the attaching part includes a plurality of fixing pins integrally
molded with the transparent resin-molded lens, and
wherein the fixing pin is inserted through a fixing hole bored on a side of
the display panel portion to attach the display panel portion to the ocular optical
20 portion.
(4)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (3),
wherein the fixing pin is provided at a location where no light of a video
displayed on an effective area of the display panel passes through on a surface of the
25 transparent resin-molded lens.
(5)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (3),
wherein the plurality of fixing pins are provided at locations that are
symmetrical with respect to an optical center of the transparent resin-molded lens.
30 (6)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (1),
25
wherein the ocular optical portion has a plurality of lenses, and the lens
which is integral with the attaching part is the most adjacent to the display panel.
(7)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (1), further including:
a display panel cooling portion configured to cool 5 the display panel.
(8)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (7),
wherein the display panel cooling portion has a heat sink configured to be
brought into surface contact with a substrate side of the display panel.
10 (9)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (8), further including:
a heat conductive grease configured to fill a gap that occurs at a time of
bringing the heat sink into surface contact with the substrate side of the display panel.
(10)
15 The head-mounted display apparatus according to (1), further including:
a display panel sealing portion configured to seal a light-emitting face of the
display panel.
(11)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (10),
20 wherein the display panel sealing portion has a cover frame configured to
cover a side part of the display panel fixed by the display panel holding portion, and
a lid portion configured to close an opening of the cover frame.
(12)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (11),
25 wherein the lid portion is the heat sink configured to be brought into surface
contact with a substrate side of the display panel.
(13)
The head-mounted display apparatus according to (12), further including:
a heat conductive grease configured to fill a gap that occurs at a time of
30 bringing the heat sink into surface contact with the substrate side of the display panel.
(14)
26
An optical unit for a head-mounted display apparatus including:
a display panel portion including a display panel configured to display an
image; and
an ocular optical portion having a lens integrally formed with an attaching
part to which the display panel portion is attached, and configured 5 to perform optical
processing for a video displayed by the display panel.
Industrial Applicability
[0088]
10 It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications,
combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design
requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended
claims or the equivalents thereof.
[0089]
15 In the present specification, explanation of the technology disclosed in the
present specification has been centered on the embodiments applied on the head
mount display composed of the front end box and the head mount unit, whilst the gist
of the technology disclosed in the present specification is not limited to the
configuration of a specific head mount display. The technology disclosed in the
20 present specification can apply as well to various types of display apparatuses in
which a display panel and an optical system are integrated.
[0090]
In short, the technology disclosed in the specification has been described in
a form of illustration and should not be interpreted limitedly. To determine the gist
25 of the technology disclosed in the present specification, patent claims should be
taken into account.
Reference Signs List
[0091]
30 10 head mount unit
20 Blu-ray disc reproducing apparatus
27
30 high-vision display
40 front end box
301 operating portion
302 controlling portion
303 video 5 controlling portion
304 OSD controlling portion
305 MISC controlling portion
306 video input interface
307 video buffer
10 308 OSD buffer
309 image synthesizing portion
310 display controlling portion
311L left eye display panel
311R right eye display panel
15 312L left eye ocular optical lens portion
312R right eye ocular optical lens portion
401 lens tube
402 panel holder
403 panel portion
20 404 cover frame
405 heat sink
1000 transparent resin-molded component
1001 lens portion
1002 - 1005 fixing pin
25 1101 ocular optical portion
1101-1 - 1101-n lens
1102 display panel
1103 panel portion
1103A panel outer frame
30 1104 cover frame
1105 heat sink
28
We claims
Claim 1
A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:
a display panel portion including a display panel configured 5 to display an
image;
an ocular optical portion having a lens integrally formed with an attaching
part to which the display panel portion is attached, and configured to perform optical
processing for a video displayed by the display panel;
10 a resin configured to fill a gap between the display panel portion and the
attaching part, and configured to be cured after the display panel portion and the lens
are positioned;
a video signal processing portion configured to process a video signal; and
a display controlling portion configured to drive the display panel based on
15 the video signal processed at the video signal processing portion.
Claim 2
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the lens having the attaching part is made of a transparent resin20
molded lens, with which the attaching part is integrally molded.
Claim 3
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the display device is configured to emit a display light including an
25 S polarization component,
wherein the attaching part includes a plurality of fixing pins integrally
molded with the transparent resin-molded lens,
wherein the fixing pin is inserted through a fixing hole bored on a side of
the display panel portion to attach the display panel portion to the ocular optical
30 portion, and
wherein the resin is poured into a gap between the fixing pin and the fixing
29
hole for filling, and is cured after the display panel portion and the transparent resinmolded
lens are positioned.
Claim 4
The head-mounted display apparatus according 5 to claim 3,
wherein the fixing pin is provided at a location where no light of a video
displayed on an effective area of the display panel passes through on a surface of the
transparent resin-molded lens.
10 Claim 5
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the plurality of fixing pins are provided at locations that are
symmetrical with respect to an optical center of the transparent resin-molded lens.
15 Claim 6
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the ocular optical portion has a plurality of lenses, and the lens
which is integral with the attaching part is the most adjacent to the display panel.
20 Claim 7
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising:
a display panel cooling portion configured to cool the display panel.
25 Claim 8
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 7,
wherein the display panel cooling portion has a heat sink configured to be
brought into surface contact with a substrate side of the display panel.
30 Claim 9
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 8, further
30
comprising:
a heat conductive grease configured to fill a gap that occurs at a time of
bringing the heat sink into surface contact with the substrate side of the display panel.
5 Claim 10
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising:
a display panel sealing portion configured to seal a light-emitting face of the
display panel.
10
Claim 11
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 10,
wherein the display panel sealing portion has a cover frame configured to
cover a side part of the display panel fixed by the display panel holding portion, and
15 a lid portion configured to close an opening of the cover frame.
Claim 12
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 11,
wherein the lid portion is the heat sink configured to be brought into surface
20 contact with a substrate side of the display panel.
Claim 13
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 12, further
comprising:
25 a heat conductive grease configured to fill a gap that occurs at a time of
bringing the heat sink into surface contact with the substrate side of the display panel.
Claim 14
An optical unit for a head-mounted display apparatus comprising:
30 a display panel portion including a display panel configured to display an
image;
31
an ocular optical portion having a lens integrally formed with an attaching
part to which the display panel portion is attached, and configured to perform optical
processing for a video displayed by the display panel; and
a resin configured to fill a gap between the display panel portion and the
attaching part, and configured to be cured after the display panel 5 portion and the lens
are positioned.
Claim 15
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1,
10 wherein the display panel portion includes a display panel and a panel outer
frame configured to mount the display panel, and
wherein the lens is attached to the display panel portion via the panel outer
frame, and has a linear expansion coefficient close to the panel outer frame.
15 Claim 16
The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 15,
wherein the panel outer frame is made of PC (polycarbonate).
Claim 17
20 The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the resin is made of a UV resin, and is cured with irradiation of
ultraviolet rays after the display panel portion and the lens are positioned.
32