Spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit and data goggles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054651-B2
Application number	US-201716303134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit for producing a virtual image of an output image presented on an image generator includes an inner surface facing the eye and an outer surface facing away from the eye, an input coupling section, and an output coupling structure. The imaging beam path is guided to the output coupling structure by way of reflections between the inner surface and the outer surface. A reflection surface having a concave curvature when seen from the interior of the spectacle lens is present between the input coupling section and the output coupling structure in the region of the inner surface and/or in the region of the outer surface. The curvature of said reflection surface differs from a basic curvature of the inner surface or of the outer surface of the spectacle lens.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit for generating a virtual image of an initial image represented on an image generator, the spectacle lens comprising:
an inner surface that faces an eye of a user and an outer surface that faces away from the eye of the user;
an input coupling section that couples an imaging beam path emanating from the initial image in between the inner surface and the outer surface of the spectacle lens;
an output coupling structure provided in the spectacle lens that couples the imaging beam path out from the spectacle lens in the direction of the eye of the user; and
a reflection surface disposed between the input coupling section and the output coupling structure in a region of the inner surface,
wherein the imaging beam path is guided by reflections between the inner surface and the outer surface to the output coupling structure, and
wherein the reflection surface is either indented or curved oppositely from the inner surface as viewed from an interior of the spectacle lens and the curvature of the reflection surface differs from a basic curvature of the inner surface of the spectacle lens.

2. The spectacle lens of claim 1 , wherein the output coupling structure is configured exclusively for beam-deflecting.

3. The spectacle lens of claim 1 , wherein the reflection surface is located such that it provides a last reflection of the imaging beam path upstream of the output coupling structure, and wherein the reflection surface is configured as a concavely curved reflection surface.

4. The spectacle lens of claim 3 , wherein the reflections of the imaging beam path are provided by total internal reflection at one or both of the inner surface and the outer surface, and the concavely curved reflection surface is a surface section provided in one or both of the inner surface and the outer surface of the spectacle lens.

5. The spectacle lens of claim 1 , wherein the reflection surface is located such that the reflection surface provides a penultimate reflection of the imaging beam path upstream of the output coupling structure, and wherein the reflection surface is configured as a concavely curved reflection surface.

6. The spectacle lens of claim 5 , wherein the reflections of the imaging beam path are provided by total internal reflection at one or both of the inner surface and the outer surface, and the concavely curved reflection surface is a surface section provided in one or both of the inner surface and the outer surface of the spectacle lens.

7. The spectacle lens of claim 6 ,
wherein the spectacle lens has a transparent main body having a first refractive index, into which the imaging beam path is coupled, the main body defining a main body inner surface corresponding to the inner surface of the spectacle lens and a main body outer surface corresponding to the outer surface of the spectacle lens, and the concavely curved surface section is defined in one or both of the main body inner surface and the main body outer surface, and
wherein a first layer having a second refractive index is situated in a region of the concavely curved surface section, the second refractive index being such that in relation to the first refractive index a total internal reflection of light rays of the imaging beam path takes place at the interface between the main body and the first layer.

8. The spectacle lens of claim 7 , wherein at least one second layer having a refractive index corresponding to the refractive index of a material of which the main body is formed is situated above the first layer.

9. The spectacle lens of claim 8 , wherein the second layer comprises a film having a refractive index corresponding to the refractive index of the material forming the main body.

10. The spectacle lens of claim 8 , wherein one or both of the first layer and the second layer comprises an adhesive layer.

11. The spectacle lens of claim 8 , wherein the second layer comprises an adhesive layer adjoining the first layer and a film adjoining the adhesive layer and having a refractive index corresponding to the refractive index of the material forming the main body.

12. The spectacle lens of claim 1 , wherein a freeform surface having properties that correct imaging aberrations is superimposed on the concavely curved reflection surface.

13. An imaging device that generates a virtual image, comprising:
an image generator that provides an initial image; and
a spectacle lens as claimed in claim 1 that is coupled to the image generator.

14. The imaging device of claim 13 , wherein the image generator is coupled directly to the input coupling section.

15. The imaging device of claim 13 , wherein the image generator is located adjacent to the input coupling section.

16. The imaging device of claim 13 , wherein an input coupler that couples an imaging beam path emanating from the initial image in between the inner surface and the outer surface of the spectacle lens is disposed between the image generator and the input coupling section.

17. Data goggles, comprising at least one imaging device according to claim 13 .

18. A spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit for generating a virtual image of an initial image represented on an image generator, the spectacle lens comprising:
an inner surface that faces an eye of a user and an outer surface that has a spherical basic curvature and faces away from the eye of the user;
an input coupling section that couples an imaging beam path emanating from the initial image in between the inner surface and the outer surface of the spectacle lens;
an output coupling structure provided in the spectacle lens that couples the imaging beam path out from the spectacle lens in the direction of the eye of the user; and
a reflection surface disposed exclusively between the input coupling section and the output coupling structure in a region of the outer surface,
wherein the imaging beam path is guided by reflections between the inner surface and the outer surface to the output coupling structure, and
wherein the reflection surface is curved concavely as viewed from an interior of the spectacle lens and the curvature of which differs from a basic curvature of the outer surface of the spectacle lens such that the reflection surface has an increased concavity relative to the basic curvature of the outer surface.

Assignees

• tooz technologies GmbH

Inventors

• Dobschal Hans-Juergen
• Hillenbrand Matthias
• Rudolph Guenter

Classifications

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B2027/015

  involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices · CPC title