Friction joint for a head mounted display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317682-B2
Application number	US-201514877859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2015
Priority date	Oct 7, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

Friction joints for use with head mounted displays are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, a head mounted display includes a front display module and a strap assembly. The strap assembly includes first and second connectors coupling the strap assembly to the front display module. The connectors allow the strap assembly to be moved toward and away from the front display module. The connectors are coupled to the front display module with first and second friction joints.

First claim

We claim:

1. A head mounted display for use with a virtual reality system, comprising:
a front display module shaped to rest against a forehead region and a cheek region of a user's face, the front display module comprising:
a display housing shaped to substantially eliminate light bleed from external light sources from reaching the user's eyes and having opposing lateral sides each having a first frictional joint member;
optics housed within the display housing between the opposing lateral sides; and
one or more virtual-reality displays housed within the display housing between the opposing lateral sides and coupleable to the virtual reality system; and

an adjustable strap assembly configured to apply, when worn by the user, a retaining force to the front display module, the adjustable strap assembly comprising:
one or more head straps; and
opposing first and second connector arms connected to the one or more head straps and positioned adjacent to the lateral sides of the front display module, each of the first and second connector arms having a second frictional joint member attached to a respective one of the first frictional joint member and pivotal about an axis of rotation relative to the respective one of the first frictional joint member;

wherein the front display module is pivotally movable about the axis of rotation relative to the strap assembly between first and second positions, and wherein frictional engagement between the first and second frictional joint members retains the front display module in the first selected position while the retaining force applied by the adjustable strap assembly retains the front display module against the forehead region and the cheek region of the user's face until the front display module is manually moved away from the first selected position toward the second position.

2. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein:
the first frictional joint members project outwardly away from the respective lateral sides; and
the second frictional joint members project inwardly toward each other and into engagement with the first frictional joint members.

3. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein:
the first frictional joint members comprise an outer exterior engagement surface having one of a ball shape or a truncated conical shape for a wedged interface; and
the second frictional joint members comprise an inner exterior engagement surface having one a socket shape or a corresponding truncated conical shape for the wedged interface.

4. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein:
the first frictional joint members:
are substantially cylindrical male connection members; and
comprise slots allowing the cylindrical male connection members to partially deflect radially inwardly when the cylindrical male connection members are axially received by the second frictional joint members; and

the second frictional joint members are female connection members each having a substantially cylindrical receptacle that receives a respective one of the male connection members with the frictional engagement therebetween.

5. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first frictional joint members comprises a pair of coaxial, substantially semi-cylindrical flange portions separated by a gap therebetween, wherein the flange portions are radially deflectable relative to each other when received by a respective one of the second frictional joint members, and wherein radial deflection of the flange portions causes the frictional engagement between the first and second frictional joint members.

6. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first frictional joint members comprises a pair of coaxial, substantially semi-cylindrical flange portions separated by a gap therebetween, wherein the flange portions have an outer curvilinear engagement surface that frictionally engages a mating inner curvilinear engagement surface of a respective one of the second frictional joint members, and wherein frictional engagement of the outer curvilinear engagement surface and the mating inner curvilinear engagement surface retains the front display module in the first selected position and the second selected position.

7. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein the second frictional joint members are substantially cylindrical male connection members, and the first frictional joint members are female connection members each having a substantially cylindrical receptacle that receives a respective one of the male connection members with the frictional engagement therebetween.

8. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first or second frictional joint members comprises one or more frictional enhancing members, the one or more frictional enhancing members comprising one or more of:
a partially compressible ring positioned between one of the first frictional joint members and a respective one of the second frictional joint members; or
one of a plurality of removable frictional enhancing members with different coefficients of friction.

9. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first frictional joint members has a rotational stop member positioned to engage a portion of a mating one of the second frictional joint members to limit rotational movement of the at least one of the first frictional joint members relative to the mating one of the second frictional joint members.

10. The head mounted display of claim 9 wherein the rotational stop member is a tab positioned in an arcuate slot in the mating one of the second frictional joint members.

11. The head mounted display of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first frictional joint members comprises a pair of coaxial, substantially semi-cylindrical flange portions separated by a gap therebetween, wherein the tab extends axially outward from one of the flange portions, and wherein the arcuate slot is formed in an annular interior back wall of the mating one of the second frictional joint members.

12. The head mounted display of claim 11 wherein the first and second connector arms are axially extendible.

13. A head mounted display for use with a virtual reality system, comprising:
a front display module shaped to rest against a forehead region and a cheek region of a user's face, the front display module comprising:
a display housing shaped to substantially eliminate light bleed from external light sources from reaching the user's eyes;
optics housed within the display housing; and
one or more virtual-reality displays housed within the display housing and coupleable to the virtual reality system; and

a friction joint coupling the display housing to a head mountable strap assembly configured to apply, when worn by the user, a retaining force to the front display module, the friction joint having an axis of rotation and configured to allow the front display module to rotate about the axis of rotation, wherein the friction joint comprises a male fitting and a female fitting secured together via a friction fit while the retaining force applied by the head mountable strap assembly retains the front display module against the forehead region and the cheek region of the user's face.

14. The head mounted display of claim 13 wherein the front display module is pivotal relative to the strap assembly between first and second positions, the front display module in the first position is positioned at a first angle relative to the face of the user wearing the head mounted display, and the front display module in the second position is positioned at a second angle relative to the face of

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Drinkwater Jared I
• Miller Robin Michael
• Magrath Lesley Ribble
• Allin Boyd Drew

Classifications

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0154

  with movable elements · CPC title

• G02B27/0179

  Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed · CPC title

• G02B27/0176 Primary

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/0181

  Adaptation to the pilot/driver · CPC title