Apparatus, systems, and methods for detatchable head-mounted-display strap interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146262-B1
Application number	US-201715581804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus may include (1) a strap that includes an electrical accessory that necessitates an electrical connection to a head-mounted display and (2) a mount coupled to the strap that includes (a) an interface that is mateable and demateable to an opposing interface of the head-mounted display, (b) an electrical connector that is configured to provide the electrical connection from the electrical accessory to the head-mounted display when contacting an opposing electrical connector of the head-mounted display, and (c) a latch that couples, in a first orientation, the interface and the opposing interface of the head-mounted display and enables, in a second orientation, the interface to be decoupled from the opposing interface of the head-mounted display and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector. Various other detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus, devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus comprising:
a strap comprising an electrical accessory that necessitates an electrical connection to a head-mounted display;
a mount coupled to the strap, the mount comprising:
an interface that is mateable and demateable to an opposing interface of the head-mounted display;
an electrical connector that is configured to provide the electrical connection from the electrical accessory to the head-mounted display when contacting an opposing electrical connector of the head-mounted display; and
a latch that:
couples, in a first orientation, the interface and the opposing interface of the head-mounted display such that:
the electrical connector and the opposing electrical connector maintain contact; and
the strap holds the head-mounted display against a user's face; and

enables, in a second orientation, the interface to be decoupled from the opposing interface of the head-mounted display and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector.

2. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the opposing interface of the head-mounted display comprises a mateable and demateable plug;
the interface comprises a receptacle that is configured to receive the plug of the head-mounted display; and
the latch is configured to:
retain, in the first orientation, the plug of the head-mounted display in the receptacle such that:
the electrical connector and the opposing electrical connector maintain contact; and
the strap holds the head-mounted display against a user's face; and

enable, in the second orientation, the plug of the head-mounted display to be decoupled from the receptacle and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector.

3. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the receptacle comprises a planar base; and
the electrical connector is integral to the planar base.

4. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the electrical connector is further recessed into the planar base.

5. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mount comprises four additional electrical connectors that are configured to provide additional electrical connections to the head-mounted display when contacting four additional opposing electrical connectors of the head-mounted display.

6. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the opposing electrical connector comprises a spring connector; and
the electrical connector comprises a contact pad configured to blind-mate to the spring connector.

7. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical accessory comprises a light-emitting motion-tracking accessory.

8. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector is configured to carry at least one of:
electrical power;
an audio signal;
a video signal;
a sensor signal; or
a control signal.

9. The detachable head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical accessory comprises at least one of:
a motion-tracking accessory;
an audio accessory; or
a cable.

10. A head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus comprising:
a head-mounted display;
a mount coupled to the head-mounted display, the mount comprising:
an interface that is mateable and demateable to an opposing interface of a strap, the strap comprising an electrical accessory that necessitates an electrical connection to the head-mounted display;
an electrical connector that is configured to provide the electrical connection from the electrical accessory to the head-mounted display when contacting an opposing electrical connector of the strap; and
a latch that:
couples, in a first orientation, the interface and the opposing interface of the strap such that:
the electrical connector and the opposing electrical connector maintain contact; and
the strap holds the head-mounted display against a user's face; and

enables, in a second orientation, the interface to be decoupled from the opposing interface of the strap and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector.

11. The head-mounted-display strap-interface apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the opposing interface of the strap comprises a mateable and demateable plug;
the interface comprises a receptacle that is configured to receive the plug of the strap; and
the latch is configured to:
retain, in the first orientation, the plug of the strap in the receptacle such that:
the electrical connector and the opposing electrical connector maintain contact; and
the strap holds the head-mounted display against a user's face; and

enable, in the second orientation, the plug of the strap to be decoupled from the receptacle and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector.

12. A head-mounted-display system comprising:
a head-mounted display;
a strap comprising an electrical accessory that necessitates an electrical connection to the head-mounted display;
a mount coupled to the head-mounted display, the mount comprising:
an interface that is mateable and demateable to an opposing interface of the strap; and
an electrical connector that is configured to provide the electrical connection from the electrical accessory to the head-mounted display when contacting an opposing electrical connector of the strap; and

an opposing mount coupled to the strap, the opposing mount comprising:
the opposing interface that is mateable and demateable to the interface of the head-mounted display;
the opposing electrical connector that is configured to provide the electrical connection from the electrical accessory to the head-mounted display when contacting the electrical connector of the head-mounted display; and
a latch that:
couples, in a first orientation, the interface and the opposing interface such that:
the electrical connector and the opposing electrical connector maintain contact; and
the strap holds the head-mounted display against a user's face; and

enables, in a second orientation, the interface to be decoupled from the opposing interface and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector.

13. The head-mounted-display system of claim 12 , wherein:
the interface of the head-mounted display comprises a mateable and demateable plug;
the opposing interface of the strap comprises a receptacle that is configured to receive the plug of the head-mounted display; and
the latch is configured to:
retain, in the first orientation, the plug of the head-mounted display in the receptacle of the strap such that:
the electrical connector and the opposing electrical connector maintain contact; and
the strap holds the head-mounted display against the user's face; and

enable, in the second orientation, the plug of the head-mounted display to be decoupled from the receptacle of the strap and the electrical connector to be disconnected from the opposing electrical connector.

14. The head-mounted-display system of claim 13 , wherein:
the receptacle comprises a planar base that is recessed into the opposing mount; and
the opposing electrical connector is integral to the planar base.

15. The head-mounted-display system of claim 14 , wherein the opposing electrical connector is furt

Assignees

• Oculus Vr Llc

Inventors

• Magrath Lesley Ribble
• Koh Paul Bongkyu

Classifications

• G06F1/1654 Primary

  the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use · CPC title

• G06F1/163 Primary

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title

• G02B27/0176

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title