Wearable electronic display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10379376-B2
Application number	US-201615285257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2016
Priority date	Oct 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A wearable electronic display includes an eyewear frame having a front frame portion including a brow bar with lens frame rims extending from and below the brow bar. A display module can be mounted to the eyewear frame and have a microdisplay for generating images. The display module can have an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye. The display module can be positioned within a cavity in the front frame portion. A brow bar bracket can be mounted to a rear side of the brow bar. The brow bar bracket can have a shroud for covering the display module. The shroud can have a pupil aperture aligned with the exit window of the display module through which the user can view the viewable images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable electronic display comprising:
an eyewear frame having a front frame portion including a brow bar with lens frame rims extending from and below the brow bar;
a display module mounted to the eyewear frame having a microdisplay for generating images, the display module having an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye, the display module being positioned within a cavity in the front frame portion; and
a brow bar bracket mounted to a rear side of the brow bar, the brow bar bracket having a shroud for covering the display module, the shroud having a pupil aperture aligned with the exit window of the display module through which the user can view the viewable images, the brow bar bracket including a rear wall and a top wall, the top wall forming an upper front ledge extending forwardly from the rear wall across a front portion of the brow bar bracket between opposite side walls, forming a recess having an open bottom and front for accepting and trapping an upper region of the front frame portion with the rear, top and side walls of the brow bar bracket for securement thereto.

2. The wearable electronic display of claim 1 in which the cavity in the front frame portion is shaped for allowing tilting of the exit window of the display module downwardly.

3. The wearable electronic display of claim 1 in which the eyewear frame includes left and right temple portions rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the brow bar bracket by respective hinges.

4. The wearable electronic display of claim 3 in which electronic components are included with at least one of the temple portions, and with the brow bar and/or the brow bar bracket, the brow bar and/or the brow bar bracket having at least one electrical contact point with the at least one of the temple portions, whereby the at least one electrical contact point is engaged when the at least one of the temple portions is in the open position for engaging power and/or data transfer, and disengaged when the at least one of the temple portions is in the closed position for disengaging power and/or data transfer.

5. The wearable electronic display of claim 4 further comprising flexible electronics extending between the brow bar and/or brow bar bracket, and the at least one of the temple portions, for providing steady uninterrupted power and/or data transfer.

6. The wearable electronic display of claim 5 further comprising a sheath extending between the brow bar and/or brow bar bracket, and the at least one of the temple portions, for protectively housing the flexible electronics extending therebetween.

7. The wearable electronic display of claim 1 further comprising a flexible electronic circuit positioned under the front ledge of the brow bar bracket.

8. A wearable electronic display comprising:
an eyewear frame having a front frame portion including a brow bar with lens frame rims extending from and below the brow bar;
a display module mounted to the eyewear frame having a microdisplay for generating images, the display module having an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye, the display module being positioned within a cavity in the front frame portion; and
a brow bar bracket mounted to a rear side of the brow bar, the brow bar bracket having a shroud for covering the display module, the shroud having a pupil aperture aligned with the exit window of the display module through which the user can view the viewable images, the brow bar bracket including a rear wall and a top wall, the top wall forming an upper front ledge extending forwardly from the rear wall across a front portion of the brow bar bracket between opposite side walls, forming a recess having an open bottom and front for accepting and trapping an upper region of the front frame portion with the rear, top and side walls of the brow bar bracket for securement thereto, thereby containing the display module within the brow bar bracket and the front frame portion assembly.

9. A method of using a wearable electronic display comprising:
wearing an eyewear frame having a front frame portion including a brow bar with lens frame rims extending from and below the brow bar;
using a display module mounted to the eyewear frame, the display module having a microdisplay for generating images, the display module having an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye, the display module being positioned within a cavity in the front frame portion;
using a brow bar bracket mounted to a rear side of the brow bar, the brow bar bracket having a shroud for covering the display module, the shroud having a pupil aperture aligned with the exit window of the display module, the brow bar bracket including a rear wall and a top wall, the top wall forming an upper front ledge extending forwardly from the rear wall across a front portion of the brow bar bracket between opposite side walls, forming a recess having an open bottom and front for accepting and trapping an upper region of the front frame portion with the rear, top and side walls of the brow bar bracket for securement thereto; and
looking upwardly with the user's eye to the pupil aperture for viewing the viewable images passing through the pupil aperture.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising using the cavity in the front frame portion for allowing tilting of the exit window of the display module downwardly.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising wearing left and right temple portions rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the brow bar bracket by respective hinges.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising using electronic components with at least one of the temple portions, and with the brow bar and/or the brow bar bracket, the brow bar and/or the brow bar bracket having at least one electrical contact point with the at least one of the temple portions, whereby the at least one electrical contact point is engaged when the at least one of the temple portions is in the open position for engaging power and/or data transfer, and disengaged when the at least one of the temple portions is in the closed position for disengaging power and/or data transfer.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising using flexible electronics extending between the brow bar and/or brow bar bracket, and the at least one of the temple portions, for providing steady uninterrupted power and/or data transfer.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising using a sheath extending between the brow bar and/or brow bar bracket, and the at least one of the temple portions, for protectively housing the flexible electronics extending therebetween.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising using a flexible electronic circuit positioned under the front ledge of the brow bar bracket.

16. A method of using a wearable electronic display comprising:
wearing an eyewear frame having a front frame portion including a brow bar with lens frame rims extending from and below the brow bar;
using a display module mounted to the eyewear frame, the display module having a microdisplay for generating images, the display module having an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye, the display module being positioned within a cavity in the front frame portion;
using a brow bar bracket mounted to a rear side of the brow bar, the brow bar bracket having a shroud for covering the display module, the shroud having a pupil aperture aligned with the exit window of the display module, the brow bar bracket including a rear wall and a top wall, the

Assignees

• Kopin Corp

Inventors

• Kuczewski Lee A
• Halpin Declan
• Villalpando Ernesto Carlos Martinez

Classifications

• G02B27/0176

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• G02C5/146

  having special front end · CPC title

• G02C5/22 Primary

  Hinges (pivotal connection in general F16C11/00) · CPC title

• G02C5/02

  Bridges; Browbars; Intermediate bars (nose engaging-surfaces G02C5/12) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title