FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)
“SHUTTER EYEGLASSES DEVICE”
SONY CORPORATION, of 1-7-1, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
1080075, Japan
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed.

DESCRIPTION
SHUTTER GLASS DEVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
5 [0001]
The technology disclosed in this specification
relates to a shutter glass device and, for example,
relates to a shutter glass device for watching a
stereoscopic video displaying left and right videos in a
10 time divisional manner.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
By displaying images having disparity therebetween
15 to left and right eyes, a stereoscopic image that is seen
to be stereoscopic by an observer can be presented. As
one of modes for presenting a stereoscopic image, there
is a mode in which images having disparity therebetween
is presented to both eyes by allowing an observer to wear
20 glasses having special optical characteristics.
[0003]
For example, a time-divisional stereoscopic image
display system is configured by a combination of a
display apparatus displaying a plurality of mutually25
different images in a time divisional manner and shutter
glasses worn by an observer of the images. The display
apparatus alternately displays a left-eye image and a
right-eye image with a very short cycle. On the other
hand, the shutter glasses worn by the observer include
30 shutter mechanisms each configured by a liquid crystal
shutter and the like in left-eye and right-eye parts. In
the shutter glasses, while a left-eye image is displayed,
the left-eye part of the shutter glasses transmits light,
and the right-eye part shields light. In addition, while
a right-eye image is displayed, the right-eye part of the
5 shutter glasses transmits light, and the left-eye part
shields light (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 3).
In other words, the display apparatus performs a timedivisional
display of a left-eye image and a right-eye
image, and the shutter glasses select images using the
10 shutter mechanisms in synchronization with switching
between displays of the display apparatus, whereby the
left-eye image and the right-eye image are fused so as to
be a stereoscopic image inside the observing user’s brain.
[0004]
15 Many conventional shutter glasses, similarly to
glasses for vision correction, are structure bodies in
which liquid crystal shutters are supported at left and
right glass frames (for example, see Patent Document 4).
The glass frame, generally, has left and right temples
20 (earpieces of glasses) for being worn by the ears, and
the temples are supported by hinges to be rotatable at
glass frames (rims) fixing the lenses by hinges.
[0005]
As the material of the glass frame or the temple
25 unit of such a type, metal (a nickel×titanium alloy, gold,
a shape memory alloy, or the like) or plastic (an acetate
material or an ultrasonic resin) is frequently used,
which is expensive. In addition, the structure is
relatively complex, and, in order to perform fitting such
30 as fine adjustment (plastic deformation) of the shape, a
specialized skillful technique, a specialized device, and

a specialized jig are necessary.
[0006]
Glasses for vision correction, basically, are for a
personal use and are purchased at glass specialty shops,
5 and accordingly, the price is adequate, and it is
preferable to perform fitting of the frames on the store
side at the time of delivering the product. In contrast
to this, the shutter glasses are supplements of a 3Dsupporting
television set and are low-priced. In
10 addition, while the shutter glasses are sold at the same
stores as those of 3D-supporting television sets, it
cannot be premised that sales persons are skilled in the
fitting of glasses. In addition, since there are many
cases where one pair of shutter glasses is used to be
15 common to a plurality of users watching the same 3Dsupporting
television set, it is meaningless to perform
fitting for a single user.
[0007]
Furthermore, the structure bodies that support the
20 left and right liquid crystal shutters at the glass
frames cause an oppressive feeling on the glass frames
disposed on the front face and may be regarded to have
insufficient designability.
25 CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0008]
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
No. 9-138384
30 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
No. 2000-36969
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Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
No. 2003-45343
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
No. 2011-125013
5
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0009]
An object of the technology disclosed in this
10 specification is to provide a superior shutter glass
device that is appropriately used when a stereoscopic
video displaying left and right videos in a timedivisional
manner is watched.
[0010]
15 In addition, another object of the technology
disclosed in this specification is to provide a superior
shutter glass device that has a simple and light-weight
structure, has a high degree of designability, and is
fitted to each wearing user.
20
SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS
[0011]
The present application has been made in view of
the above problems, and the technology described in claim
25 1 is a shutter glass device including:
a left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit;
a right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit;
a transparent shield on which the left-eye liquid
crystal shutter unit and the right-eye liquid crystal
30 shutter unit are installed;
a frame unit that supports the shield; and
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temple units that are connected to both left and
right ends of the frame unit.
[0012]
According to the technology described in claim 2,
5 in the shutter glass device according to claim 1, the
left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit and the right-eye
liquid crystal shutter unit are bonded to a rear-face
side of the shield.
[0013]
10 According to the technology described in claim 3,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 1, the
frame unit is made from pure titanium, and the temple
units are made from a titanium alloy.
[0014]
15 According to the technology described in claim 4,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 1, rearside
portions of the temple units bend toward the inner
side.
[0015]
20 According to the technology described in claim 5,
the shutter glass device according to claim 1 further
includes earpiece parts that are installed near rear ends
of the temple units.
[0016]
25 According to the technology described in claim 6,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 5, the
position of the earpiece part can be changed to a front
or rear side along a longitudinal direction of the temple
units.
30 [0017]
According to the technology described in claim 7,
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in the shutter glass device according to claim 5, the
earpiece parts are manufactured in the shape of letter
“V” using elastomer-based silicon or any other flexible
material, a front leg of the letter “V” includes a
5 bending portion, and a radius of curvature of the bending
portion changes in accordance with a width with which
legs of the letter “V” are open.
[0018]
According to the technology described in claim 8,
10 in the shutter glass device according to claim 3, the
frame unit includes bending portions bending to a rear
side in both left and right ends. The temple units are
supported by the frame unit to be rotatable using hinges
disposed on a further end edge side than the bending
15 portions.
[0019]
According to the technology described in claim 9,
the shutter glass device according to claim 1 further
includes, on a rear-face side of the frame unit, an
20 electric component housing part attached in a gap between
the left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit and the righteye
liquid crystal shutter unit.
[0020]
According to the technology described in claim 10,
25 in the shutter glass device according to claim 9, the
electric component housing part houses a shutter driving
circuit of the left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit and
the right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit, a
communication circuit that performs a reception process
30 of an infrared signal or an RF signal, and a battery that
supplies power to circuits.
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[0021]
According to the technology described in claim 11,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 9, in the
electric component housing part, two, three, or more
5 printed circuit boards used for mounting housed electric
components are arranged in an overlapping manner.
[0022]
According to the technology described in claim 12,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 1, the
10 frame unit supports the shield in a center portion.
[0023]
According to the technology described in claim 13,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 1, the
shield is made from an acrylic resin that is injection15
molded.
[0024]
According to the technology described in claim 14,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 13, an IMD
film is simultaneously molded on a surface of a front20
face side of the shield.
[0025]
According to the technology described in claim 15,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 13, the
shield is molded so as to suppress birefringence.
25 [0026]
According to the technology described in claim 16,
in the shutter glass device according to claim 13, the
shield is injection-molded using a fan gate.
30 EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0027]
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According to the technology disclosed in this
specification, there can be provided a superior shutter
glass device that has a simple and light-weight structure,
has a high degree of designability, and is fitted to each
5 wearing user.
[0028]
The other objects, features, and advantages of the
technology disclosed in this specification will become
apparent by detailed description of exemplary embodiments
10 to be described later and the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0029]
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration
15 example of an image displaying system.
Fig. 2 is a diagram that illustrates an internal
configuration example of shutter glasses 13.
Fig. 3A is a diagram that illustrates the operation
of controlling left and right liquid crystal shutters 308
20 and 309 of the shutter glasses 13 synchronized with a
display period of a left-eye image L of a display
apparatus 11.
Fig. 3B is a diagram that illustrates the operation
of controlling the left and right liquid crystal shutters
25 308 and 309 of the shutter glasses 13 synchronized with a
display period of a right-eye image R of the display
apparatus 11.
Fig. 4A is a front view of shutter glasses 400
according to an embodiment of technology disclosed in
30 this specification.
Fig. 4B is a rear view of the shutter glasses 400
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according to an embodiment of the technology disclosed in
this specification.
Fig. 4C is a right-side view of the shutter glasses
400 according to an embodiment of the technology
5 disclosed in this specification.
Fig. 4D is a left-side view of the shutter glasses
400 according to an embodiment of the technology
disclosed in this specification.
Fig. 4E is a top view of the shutter glasses 400
10 according to an embodiment of the technology disclosed in
this specification.
Fig. 4F is a bottom view of the shutter glasses 400
according to an embodiment of the technology disclosed in
this specification.
15 Fig. 4G is a perspective view of the shutter
glasses 400 according to an embodiment of the technology
disclosed in this specification.
Fig. 4H is a perspective view of the shutter
glasses 400 according to an embodiment of the technology
20 disclosed in this specification.
Fig. 5 is a diagram that illustrates earpiece parts
406L and 406R disposed near rear ends of left and right
temples 402L and 402R in an enlarged scale.
Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the shutter
25 glasses 400 in which hinges 408L and 408R connecting a
front frame 407 to the temples 402L and 402R are also
illustrated.
Fig. 6B is a perspective view of the shutter
glasses 400 in which a portion near the hinge 408R is
30 enlarged.
Fig. 7 is a diagram in which the rear-face side
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(the side of the face of a user wearing the shutter
glasses) of a front shield 401 is enlarged.
Fig. 8A is a diagram that illustrates an internal
configuration example of an electric component housing
5 part 404.
Fig. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the electric
component housing part 404.
Fig. 9 is a diagram that illustrates a portion
supporting the front shield 401 near the center of the
10 front frame 407 in an enlarged scale.
Fig. 10A is a diagram that illustrates the
appearance of bonding the liquid crystal shutters 403L
and 403R to the surface of the front shield 401.
Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view of the front
15 shield 401 after the liquid crystal shutter 403L is
attached thereto.
Fig. 11 is a diagram that illustrates the
appearance of the front shield 401 projected from the
front-face side.
20 Fig. 12 is a diagram that illustrates an IMD film
molded simultaneously with the front shield 401.
Fig. 13 is a diagram that illustrates the
appearance in which a display video supplied from the
display apparatus 11 is transmitted through the front
25 shield 401 and is shielded by the liquid crystal shutter
403.
Fig. 14 is a diagram that illustrates the
appearance of light leaking when a molding component
having birefringence is inserted between two polarizing
30 plates of which the polarization directions are
perpendicular to each other.
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Fig. 15A is a diagram that illustrates a method of
mold injection of the front shield 401 using a side gate.
Fig. 15B is a diagram that illustrates a method of
mold injection of the front shield 401 using a direct
5 gate.
Fig. 15C is a diagram that illustrates a method of
mold injection of the front shield 401 using a fan gate.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
10 [0030]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the technology
disclosed in this specification will be described in
detail with reference to the drawings.
[0031]
15 Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a configuration
example of a time-divisional stereoscopic image
displaying system. The time-divisional stereoscopic
image displaying system is formed by a combination of a
display apparatus 11 supporting a three dimensional
20 display (three-dimensional view) and shutter glasses 13
including shutter mechanisms in left-eye and right-eye
parts. The display apparatus 11 alternately displays a
left-eye image L and a right-eye image R in a frame
sequential mode. On the other hand, the shutter glasses
25 13 changes the opening/closing of left and right liquid
crystal shutters 308 and 309 in synchronization with the
timing of switching between the left-eye image L and the
right-eye image R on the display apparatus 11 side.
Hereinafter, it is assumed that a liquid crystal display
30 (LCD) is used as the display apparatus 11 used for a
display of a three-dimension image. However, the concept
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of the technology disclosed in this specification is not
necessarily limited to the liquid crystal display.
[0032]
The display apparatus 11 includes a left and right
5 image signal processing unit 120, a communication unit
124, a timing control unit 126, a gate driver 130, a data
driver 132, and a liquid crystal display panel 134.
[0033]
The liquid crystal display panel 134 is configured
10 by a liquid crystal layer, a transparent electrode and a
color filter layer (any of these is not illustrated in
the figure) that face each other with the liquid crystal
layer interposed therebetween, and the like. In addition,
on the rear side of the liquid crystal display panel 134,
15 a back light (surface light source) 136 is arranged. The
back light 136 is configured by an LED (Light Emitting
Diode) having a good persistence characteristic or the
like. In addition, on the surface of the display screen,
a polarizing plate not illustrated in the figure is
20 arranged.
[0034]
An input signal Din formed from left and right
image signals DL and DR used for displaying a left-eye
image R and a right-eye image L are input to the left and
25 right image signal processing unit 120 in a transmission
format, for example, a frame packing format. Inside the
left and right image signal processing unit 120, an image
quality correcting process such as enhancement of the
sharpness of an image or contrast enhancement is
30 performed. In order to display the left-eye image L and
the right-eye image R on the liquid crystal display panel
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134 in a frame sequential mode, the left and right image
signal processing unit 120 alternately outputs the left
and right image signals DL and DR.
[0035]
5 The left-eye image signal DL and the right-eye
image signal DR that are converted by the left and right
image signal processing unit 120 are input to the timing
control unit 126. The timing control unit 126 converts
the left-eye image signal DL and the right-eye image
10 signal DR, which have been input, into signals for being
input to the liquid crystal display panel 134 and
generates a pulse signal that is used for the operation
of a panel driving circuit formed by the gate driver 130
and the data driver 132. Here, the gate driver 130 is a
15 driving circuit generating signals for sequential driving
and outputs a driving voltage to a gate bus line
connected to each pixel disposed inside the liquid
crystal display panel 134 in accordance with a signal
transmitted from the timing control unit 126. In
20 addition, the data driver 132 is a driving circuit
outputting a driving voltage based on a video signal and
generates and outputs a signal to be applied to a data
line based on a signal transmitted from the timing
control unit 126.
25 [0036]
For communication between the display apparatus 11
and the shutter glasses 13, a wireless network such as
infrared communication, Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE
802.15.1 (Bluetooth communication), or the like is used.
30 The communication unit 124 transmits an information
signal that is necessary for controlling the timing of
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the opening/closing of the left and right liquid crystal
shutters 308 and 309 to the shutter glasses 13.
[0037]
Fig. 2 illustrates an internal configuration
5 example of the shutter glasses 13. The shutter glasses
13 include: a communication unit 305 that performs the
process of receiving an information signal transmitted
from the display apparatus 11; a control unit 306; a
left-eye liquid crystal shutter 308 and a right-eye
10 liquid crystal shutter 309 each formed from a liquid
crystal material; a shutter driving circuit 307; a
rechargeable battery 310 as a main power source; and an
LED indicator 311 that displays the operating status and
the like. The rechargeable battery 310 can be charged
15 using a commercial AC power source or the like by
connecting a charging cable to a charging connector not
illustrated in the figure. The shutter glasses 13 start
the operation by inputting power thereto by operating a
power button not illustrated in the figure in Fig. 2.
20 [0038]
A synchronization packet is transmitted in a
wireless manner from the display apparatus 11 to the
shutter glasses 13. In a single synchronization packet,
in addition to information relating to the
25 opening/closing timing of the left and right liquid
crystal shutters 308 and 309 disposed on the shutter
glass 13 side, control information instructing switching
between display modes is included. When an information
signal is received from the display apparatus 11, the
30 communication unit 305 inputs the information signal to
the control unit 306. The control unit 306 demodulates
SP337461WO00
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and decodes the information signal, analyzes the written
content thereof, determines the opening/closing timings
of the left and right liquid crystal shutters 308 and 309,
and controls the opening/closing operations of the left
5 and right liquid crystal shutters 308 and 309 through the
shutter driving circuit 307.
[0039]
The shutter glasses 13 can take the synchronization
with a frame sequence of the display apparatus 11 in
10 accordance with the information signal transmitted from
the display apparatus 11 side. Fig. 3A illustrates an
operation of controlling the liquid crystal shutters 308
and 309 of the shutter glasses 13 that are in
synchronization with a display period of the left-eye
15 image L of the display apparatus 11. As illustrated in
the figure, in the display period of the left-eye image L,
the left-eye liquid crystal shutter 308 is in the open
state, and the right-eye liquid crystal shutter 309 is in
the closed state, whereby display light LL based on the
20 left-eye image L arrives only at the user’s left eye.
Fig. 3B illustrates an operation of controlling the
liquid crystal shutters 308 and 309 of the shutter
glasses 13 that are in synchronization with a display
period of the right-eye image R. As illustrated in the
25 figure, in the display period of the right-eye image R,
the right-eye liquid crystal shutter 309 is in the open
state, and the left-eye liquid crystal shutter 308 is in
the closed state, whereby display light RR based on the
right-eye image R arrives only at the user’s right eye.
30 [0040]
The display apparatus 11 alternately displays the
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left-eye image L and the right-eye image R on the liquid
crystal display panel 134 for each field. On the shutter
glasses 13 side, the left and right liquid crystal
shutters 308 and 309 alternately perform opening and
5 closing operations in synchronization with the switching
between images for each field of the display apparatus 11.
Inside the brain of a user observing a display image over
the shutter glasses 13, the left-eye image L and the
right-eye image R are fused, whereby an image displayed
10 on the display apparatus 11 is stereoscopically
recognized.
[0041]
Many conventional shutter glasses, similarly to
glasses for vision correction, are structure bodies in
15 which left and right liquid crystal shutters are
supported by the glass frame and have disadvantages of
causing an oppressive feeling, being insufficient
designability, being high priced, being heavily weighted,
and the like. In contrast to this, in this specification,
20 shutter glasses, in which the liquid crystal shutters are
supported without using the glass frame, having superior
designability is proposed.
[0042]
Fig. 4 illustrates the external configuration of
25 the shutter glasses 400 according to an embodiment of the
technology disclosed in this specification. Fig. 4A is a
front view of the shutter glasses 400, Fig. 4B is a rear
view of the shutter glasses 400, Fig. 4C is a right-side
view of the shutter glasses 400, Fig. 4D is a left-side
30 view of the shutter glasses 400, Fig. 4E is a top view of
the shutter glasses 400, Fig. 4F is a bottom view of the
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shutter glasses 400, and Figs. 4G and 4H are perspective
views of the shutter glasses 400.
[0043]
The shutter glasses 400 illustrated in the figure
5 form a structure body in which a transparent front shield
401, to which left and right liquid crystal shutters 403L
and 403R are attached on the rear face (the side of the
face of a user wearing the shutter glasses), is supported
by a front frame 407. In addition, on both left and
10 right ends of the front frame 407, left and right temples
402L and 402R are supported to be open or closed through
hinges (not illustrated in Fig. 4). As can be understood
from the perspective views illustrated in Figs. 4G and 4H,
the shutter glasses 400 in which the left and right
15 liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R are supported by
the front shield 401 are simple and light-weight and have
superior designability, compared to a conventional
structure body in which the liquid crystal shutters are
supported by the glass frame.
20 [0044]
The left and right temples 402L and 402R, in
consideration of the flexibility at the time of being
worn by a user, is manufactured, for example, by using a
titanium alloy (b titanium). On the other hand, the
25 front frame 407, in consideration of maintaining the
shape, is manufactured, for example, by using pure
titanium (a titanium).
[0045]
As can be understood from the top view illustrated
30 in Fig. 4E and the bottom view illustrated in Fig. 4F,
rear portions of the left and right temples 402L and 402R
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bend toward the inner side, and the radius of curvature
thereof increases toward the rear end.
[0046]
In general glasses for vision correction or the
5 like, left and right temples are caught at the earlobes,
and a nosepiece part is brought into contact with a nose
head, whereby the glasses are supported at the three
points. Accordingly, a fitting operation is necessary in
which the end edge portions of the temples are bent
10 toward the lower side so as to fit the size of the head
and the shape of the ears of a user wearing the glasses,
and, after the fitting, the glasses are not comfortably
put on by other users. In contrast to this, according to
the shutter glasses 400 of this embodiment, instead of
15 hooking the left and right temples 402L and 402R into the
earlobes, the shutter glasses are supported by instant
pressure generated when bending portions going toward the
inner side are brought into contact with rear head
portions of a user. Accordingly, the shutter glasses fit
20 a plurality of users having mutually different sizes of
the head parts without performing fitting. The left and
right temples 402L and 402R, as described above, are made
from a titanium alloy, have a sufficient spring
characteristic, and can sufficiently respond to a
25 difference in the size of the head part by being bent.
[0047]
In addition, near rear ends of the left and right
temples 402L and 402R, the earpiece parts 406L and 406R
are attached. Fig. 5 illustrates the earpiece parts 406L
30 and 406R disposed near the rear ends of the left and
right temples 402L and 402R in an enlarged scale. As
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illustrated in the figure, the earpiece parts 406L and
406R respectively have the shape of approximate letter
“V”, and, in the tip ends of both legs having the shape
of letter “V”, openings are formed, and the earpiece
5 parts are attached by inserting the temples 402L and 402R
into one set of the openings. Accordingly, the front and
rear positions of the earpiece parts 406L and 406R can be
changed by moving one set of the openings in the
longitudinal direction of the temples 402L and 402R. The
10 earpiece parts 406L and 406R are manufactured using a
flexible material such as elastomer-based silicon and is
freely transformed. In addition, out of two legs of the
earpiece parts 406L and 406R, front-side legs brought
into contact with the ears bend. For example, by
15 transforming the earpiece parts 406L and 406R, a width
(an opening width of the letter “V”) between both tip
ends can be expanded or contracted, and accordingly, the
radius of curvature of the bending portions of the front
legs of the earpiece parts 406L and 406 changes, whereby
20 the earpiece parts can be made to fit the shape of the
rear sides of the ear conches of a user.
[0048]
Fig. 6A illustrates a perspective view of the
shutter glasses 400 in which hinges 408L and 408R
25 connecting the front frame 407 to the temples 402L and
402R are also illustrated. Fig. 6B illustrates a
perspective view of the shutter glasses 400 in which a
portion near the hinge 408R is enlarged. As can be
understood from the figures, in both left and right ends
30 of the front frame 407, bending portions 409L and 409R
that bend to the rear side to be approximately
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perpendicular are formed. As described above, the front
frame 407 is manufactured using a material that has
sufficient reversibility or sufficiently maintains the
shape such as pure titanium. Accordingly, by adjusting
5 angles q of the bending portions 409L and 409R by
applying external forces to portions near the bending
portions 409L and 409R so as to be transformed, the
angles q are maintained. Therefore, when wearing the
shutter glasses 400, a user can make the shutter glasses
10 to fit the size or the shape of the head by transforming
the angles to desired angles q.
[0049]
As can be understood from the rear-side view
illustrated in Fig. 4B, in a gap between the left and
15 right liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R near the
center of the rear-face side (the side of the face of a
user wearing the shutter glasses) of the front shield 401,
an electric component housing part 404 is attached.
Inside the electric component housing part 404, as
20 illustrated in Fig. 2, circuit components such as the
communication unit 305, the control unit 306, and the
shutter driving unit 307, the rechargeable battery 310
that is a power source for driving the circuits, and the
like are housed. In addition, a nosepiece part 405 is
25 attached to the surface of the electric component housing
part 404. The nosepiece part 405 has a role of allowing
the electric component housing part 404 or the front
shield 401 to secure clearance so as not to be in contact
with the user’s face and has almost no role of supporting
30 the shutter glasses 400 at the head part of the user. As
described above, the shutter glasses can be sufficiently
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supported by the side pressure generated when the bending
portions disposed on the rear sides of the left and right
temples 402L and 402R are brought into contact with the
rear head part of the user.
5 [0050]
Fig. 7 illustrates the rear-face side (the side of
the face of a user wearing the shutter glasses) of the
front shield 401 in an enlarged scale. As described
above, the electric component housing part 404 is
10 attached near the center of the front shield 401.
However, in the figure, the earpiece parts 406 are not
illustrated. In the example illustrated in the figure, a
predetermined safety standard label is attached to a
center side face. In addition, a power button 410 is
15 arranged on the left-side face. An LED indicator 411
used for displaying the operating status, which is
arranged on the top face, emits irradiation light of LED
devices to the outside through openings formed in the
front frame 407. Here, the place at which the safety
20 standard label is attached and the place at which the
power button 410 is arranged are design items, and the
example illustrated in Fig. 7 is merely an example.
[0051]
Fig. 8A illustrates an internal configuration
25 example of the electric component housing part 404. Fig.
8B illustrates a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional
view taken along line A–A represented on the upper right
side) of the electric component housing part 404. A
place located on the front shield 401 in which the
30 electric component housing part 404 can be arranged is
limited to the gap between the left and right liquid
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crystal shutters 403L and 403R. Thus, as illustrated in
Fig. 8, two printed circuit boards (PCB1 and PCB2) are
arranged so as to overlap each other, and a mounting area
wider than the arrangement space of the electric
5 component housing part 404 arranged on the front shield
401 is acquired. Although not illustrated in Fig. 8,
since an infrared receiving unit of the communication
unit 305 faces the front-face side of the front shield
401, an infrared signal transmitted from the display
10 apparatus 11 can be easily received over the transparent
front shield 401 (in a case where infrared communication
is used for communication with the display apparatus 11).
[0052]
Fig. 9 illustrates a portion of the front frame 407
15 that supports the front shield 401 in an enlarged scale.
As can be understood from the top view illustrated in Fig.
4E, while the front frame 407 is bent further toward both
left and right ends, the front shield 401 has an almost
flat shape. Thus, as illustrated in the figure, the
20 front shield 401 is supported only at the center portion
of the front frame 407, and both end portions of the
front shield 401 of which the radius of curvature does
not coincide with that of the front frame are released.
In addition, as denoted by a circle in Fig. 9, an offset
25 is arranged in the support portion so as to absorb a
difference in the R (radius) on the corner.
[0053]
The front shield 401 is manufactured using a
transparent material, and the left and right liquid
30 crystal shutters 403L and 403R are attached to the rear
face (the side of the face of the user wearing the
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shutter glasses), which has already been described. For
example, the front shield 401 made from an acrylic resin
such as poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) can be
manufactured through mold injection. In addition, as one
5 method of attaching the liquid crystal shutters 403L and
403R to the surface of the front shield 401 made from an
acrylic resin, there is “bonding”. For example, bonding
may be performed using a double-sided tape, an UV resin,
or the like. Fig. 10A illustrates the appearance of
10 bonding the liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R to the
surface (rear-face side) of the front shield 401 using a
double-sided tape or the like. In addition, Fig. 10B
illustrates a cross-sectional view of the front shield
401 after the attachment of the liquid crystal shutter
15 403L. As can be understood from a lower portion of Fig.
10A, which illustrates the appearance after the bonding
the liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R, a gap that
becomes the arrangement space for the electric component
housing part 404 is present between the left and right
20 liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R.
[0054]
In the liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R bonded
to the front shield 401, either a glass liquid crystal or
a film liquid crystal may be used. In a case where the
25 front shield 401 has an almost flat shape as in this
embodiment, either the glass liquid crystal or the film
liquid crystal may be used. On the other hand, in a case
where the front shield has a curved face, for example, by
being bent toward the inner side in the end edge portion,
30 it is difficult to attach the glass liquid crystal
following the curved face, and it is necessary to use the
SP337461WO00
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film liquid crystal.
[0055]
Fig. 11 illustrates the appearance of the front
shield 401 projected from the front-face side. On the
5 surface of the front shield 401 that is located on the
front-face side, an IMD (in-mold decoration) film as
illustrated in Fig. 12 is simultaneously molded. The
infrared receiving unit of the communication unit 305
disposed inside the electric component housing part 404
10 faces the front-face side of the front shield 401, which
has already been described. Accordingly, it is
preferable to use ink through which infrared light is
transmitted at least for a portion located near the
center of the IMD film.
15 [0056]
In a time-divisional stereoscopic image displaying
system, the principle of presenting a stereoscopic image
is that screen switching performed on the display
apparatus 11 side and the opening/closing operations of
20 the left and right liquid crystal shutters performed on
the shutter glass 13 side are synchronized with each
other. In other words, the display apparatus 11
alternately displays the left-eye image and the right-eye
image on the screen in the frame sequential mode, and the
25 shutter glasses 13 transmits light in the left-eye part
and shields light in the right-eye part in accordance
with a display period of a left-eye image and transmits
light in the right-eye part and shields light in the
left-eye part in accordance with the display period of a
30 right-eye image.
[0057]
SP337461WO00
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In a case where a time-divisional display is
performed using the shutter glasses 13 that use the
liquid crystal shutters, it may be configured such that
light of a display video is polarized by overlapping
5 polarizing plates on the surface of the display panel 134
on the display apparatus 11 side, and polarized light is
not transmitted by setting the polarization direction of
the liquid crystal shutter by which light is shielded to
intersect the amplitude direction of the polarized light.
10 [0058]
As in this embodiment, in a case where the left and
right liquid crystal shutters 403L and 403R are bonded to
the front shield 401 made from an acrylic resin, it is
concerned that birefringence occurs when polarized light
15 of a display video passes through the front shield 401.
Fig. 13 illustrates the appearance in which a display
video after polarization, which has been supplied from
the display apparatus 11, passes through the front shield
401 and is shielded by the liquid crystal shutter 403.
20 When the polarization direction of the polarizing plate
overlapping the surface of the display panel 134 and the
polarization direction of the liquid crystal shutter 403
(polarizing plate) are perpendicular to each other, light
can be shielded. Even so, when the front shield 401
25 having birefringence is interposed between two polarizing
plates described above, light leaks due to the
birefringence. In such a case, the contrast decreases.
In addition, when one of left-eye and right-eye videos is
displayed, the video leaks to the other eye, and
30 accordingly, the 3D effect reduces. Fig. 14 illustrates
the appearance of light leaking when a molding component
SP337461WO00
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having birefringence is inserted between two polarizing
plates of which the polarization directions are
perpendicular to each other. Light is shielded by the
two polarizing plates of which the polarization
5 directions are perpendicular to each other, and,
originally, the appearance is assumed to be dark, but,
when the polarization direction changes due to the
birefringence, light leaks so as to be exposed white.
[0059]
10 In the arrangement of optical components as
illustrated in Fig. 13, in a case where the polarization
directions of the polarizing plate of the display
apparatus 11 side and the liquid crystal shutter 403 are
perpendicular to each other, a quantitative degree of
15 leaked light, in other words, the transmittance of light
is determined based on a combination of the polarization
element (inclination of light) included in the front
shield 401 and a phase difference element (disorder of
light). It is the most preferable that the polarization
20 elements are perpendicular (parallel to the traveling
direction of light) in all the areas. In addition, it is
the most preferable that the color is the same (no phase
difference) in all the areas.
[0060]
25 The former polarization element depends on the
component shape, the type of the gate of the mold
injector, the position of the gate, and the like. As the
types of the gate, for example, there are a side gate
(see Fig. 15A), a direct gate (see Fig. 15B), and a fan
30 gate (see Fig. 15C). Starting from the type of the gate,
depending on the molding conditions, residual stress
SP337461WO00
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occurs in a molded product and causes the index of
refraction of light to partially change. In addition,
the latter phase difference element is determined mainly
by a material (including the grade of the material
5 (correspondence or no-correspondence of birefringence))
of the component. In this embodiment, the material of
the front shield 401 is determined to be PMMA.
[0061]
The birefringence can be predicted by a flow
10 analysis of mold injection. The applicants of this
application selected PMMA as the material and performed
the flow analysis of mold injection for each gate
described above. As a result, it was found that, when
mold injection of the front shield 401 is performed by
15 the side gate, a phase difference occurs, and the
polarization elements are greatly disordered.
Accordingly, it is predicted that non-uniformity of the
contrast greatly occurs. In addition, it was found that,
when mold injection of the front shield 401 is performed
20 by a direct gate, although the polarization elements are
close to be perpendicular in a place positioned far from
the gate, the polarization elements are slightly
disordered near the gate. In contrast to this, it was
found that, when mold injection of the front shield 401
25 is performed by a fan gate, the polarization elements are
almost perpendicular in a place positioned far from the
gate, and the range in which the polarization elements
are greatly disordered near the gate is very small.
Summing up, since it is apparent that the fan gate is
30 most preferable, the applicants of this application
determine to perform mold injection using the fan gate.
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Fig. 15C also illustrates an enlarged diagram of a
portion near the gate.
[0062]
The technologies disclosed in this specification
5 may take the configuration as below.
(1) There is provided a shutter glass device including: a
left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit; a right-eye liquid
crystal shutter unit; a transparent shield on which the
left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit and the right-eye
10 liquid crystal shutter unit are installed; a frame unit
that supports the shield; and temple units that are
connected to both left and right ends of the frame unit.
(2) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
above, in which the left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit
15 and the right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit are bonded
to a rear-face side of the shield.
(3) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
above, in which the frame unit is made from pure titanium,
and the temple units are made from a titanium alloy.
20 (4) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
above, in which rear-side portions of the temple units
bend toward the inner side.
(5) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
above, further including earpiece parts that are
25 installed near rear ends of the temple units.
(6) The shutter glass device described in (5) described
above, in which the position of the earpiece part can be
changed to a front or rear side along a longitudinal
direction of the temple units.
30 (7) The shutter glass device described in (5) described
above, in which the earpiece parts are manufactured in
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the shape of letter “V” using elastomer-based silicon or
any other flexible material, a front leg of the letter
“V” includes a bending portion, and a radius of curvature
of the bending portion changes in accordance with a width
5 with which legs of the letter “V” are open.
(8) The shutter glass device described in (3) described
above, in which the frame unit includes bending portions
bending to a rear side in both left and right ends, and
the temple units are supported by the frame unit to be
10 rotatable using hinges disposed on a further end edge
side than the bending portions.
(9) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
above, further including, on a rear-face side of the
frame unit, an electric component housing part attached
15 in a gap between the left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit
and the right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit.
(10) The shutter glass device described in (9) described
above, in which the electric component housing part
houses a shutter driving circuit of the left-eye liquid
20 crystal shutter unit and the right-eye liquid crystal
shutter unit, a communication circuit that performs a
reception process of an infrared signal or an RF signal,
and a battery that supplies power to circuits.(11) The
shutter glass device described in (9) described above, in
25 which, in the electric component housing part, two, three,
or more printed circuit boards used for mounting housed
electric components are arranged in an overlapping manner.
(12) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
above, in which the frame unit supports the shield in a
30 center portion.
(13) The shutter glass device described in (1) described
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above, in which the shield is made from an acrylic resin
that is injection-molded.
(14) The shutter glass device described in (13) described
above, in which an IMD film is simultaneously molded on a
5 surface of a front-face side of the shield.
(15) The shutter glass device described in (13) described
above, in which the shield is molded so as to suppress
birefringence.
(16) The shutter glass device described in (13) described
10 above, in which the shield is injection-molded using a
fan gate.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0063]
15 As above, the technologies disclosed in this
specification have been described in detail with
reference to specific embodiments. However, it is
apparent that a modification or a substitution in the
embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art in
20 the range not departing from the concept of the
technologies disclosed in this specification.
[0064]
In this specification, although embodiments applied
to the shutter glasses used in the time-divisional
25 stereoscopic image displaying system have been mainly
described, the concept of the technologies disclosed in
this specification is not limited thereto. The
technologies disclosed in this specification can be
applied to various image observation glasses starting
30 from polarized glasses used in a polarization mode in
which a stereoscopic image is presented by changing the
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31
polarization status for a right-eye image and a left-eye
image.
[0065]
To sum up, the technologies disclosed in this
5 specification have been described in the exemplary form,
and thus, the contents written in this specification
should not be construed for purposes of limitation. In
order to determine the concept of the technologies
disclosed in this specification, the claims should be
10 referred to.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0066]
11 Display apparatus
15 13 Shutter glasses
120 Left and right image signal processing unit
124 Communication unit
126 Timing control unit
130 Gate driver
20 132 Data driver
134 Liquid crystal display panel
305 Communication unit
306 Control unit
307 Shutter driving circuit
25 308 Left-eye shutter
309 Right-eye shutter
310 Rechargeable battery
311 LED indicator
400 Shutter glasses
30 401 Front shield
402 Temple
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403 Liquid crystal shutter
404 Electric component housing part
405 Nosepiece part
406 Earpiece part
5 407 Front frame
408 Hinge
409 Bending portion
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CLAIMS
1. A shutter glass device comprising:
a left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit;
5 a right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit;
a transparent shield on which the left-eye liquid
crystal shutter unit and the right-eye liquid crystal
shutter unit are installed;
a frame unit that supports the shield; and
10 temple units that are connected to both left and
right ends of the frame unit.
2. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
wherein the left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit and the
15 right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit are bonded to a
rear-face side of the shield.
3. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
wherein the frame unit is made from pure titanium, and
20 the temple units are made from a titanium alloy.
4. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
wherein rear-side portions of the temple units bend
toward the inner side.
25
5. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
further comprising earpiece parts that are installed near
rear ends of the temple units.
30 6. The shutter glass device according to claim 5,
wherein the position of the earpiece part can be changed
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34
to a front or rear side along a longitudinal direction of
the temple units.
7. The shutter glass device according to claim 5,
5 wherein the earpiece parts are manufactured in the shape
of letter “V” using elastomer-based silicon or any other
flexible material, a front leg of the letter “V” includes
a bending portion, and a radius of curvature of the
bending portion changes in accordance with a width with
10 which legs of the letter “V” are open.
8. The shutter glass device according to claim 3,
wherein the frame unit includes bending portions
bending to a rear side in both left and right ends, and
15 wherein the temple units are supported by the frame
unit to be rotatable using hinges disposed on a further
end edge side than the bending portions.
9. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
20 further comprising, on a rear-face side of the frame unit,
an electric component housing part attached in a gap
between the left-eye liquid crystal shutter unit and the
right-eye liquid crystal shutter unit.
25 10. The shutter glass device according to claim 9,
wherein the electric component housing part houses a
shutter driving circuit of the left-eye liquid crystal
shutter unit and the right-eye liquid crystal shutter
unit, a communication circuit that performs a reception
30 process of an infrared signal or an RF signal, and a
battery that supplies power to circuits.
SP337461WO00
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11. The shutter glass device according to claim 9,
wherein, in the electric component housing part, two,
three, or more printed circuit boards used for mounting
5 housed electric components are arranged in an overlapping
manner.
12. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
wherein the frame unit supports the shield in a center
10 portion.
13. The shutter glass device according to claim 1,
wherein the shield is made from an acrylic resin that is
injection-molded.
15
14. The shutter glass device according to claim 13,
wherein an IMD film is simultaneously molded on a surface
of a front-face side of the shield.
20 15. The shutter glass device according to claim 13,
wherein the shield is molded so as to suppress
birefringence.
16. The shutter glass device according to claim 13,
25 wherein the shield is injection-molded using a fan gate.
.