Head mounted display with adjustable headband

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11079838-B2
Application number	US-201816027211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2018
Priority date	Mar 14, 2014
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A head mounted display is provided. The head mounted display includes an optics block having a display screen. The optics block has a forward-facing region, a lower-facing region, a top-facing region, an inside-facing region, and side regions that extend from the forward-facing region toward the inside-facing region. The display screen is viewable from the inside-facing region. A band adjustment unit is located opposite the optics block. A headband has a front portion and an adjustable portion. The adjustable portion of the headband is connected to the band adjustment unit to contract a size of the headband or expand the size of the headband. The front portion of the headband has a connection to the top-facing region of the optics block that is proximate to the inside-facing region. A pad is disposed inside of the front portion of the headband. The pad provides at least partial support of the optics block.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head mounted display, comprising:
an optics block includes a display screen, the optics block having a forward-facing region, a lower-facing region, a top-facing region, an inside-facing region, and side regions that extend from the forward-facing region toward the inside-facing region, the display screen being viewable from the inside-facing region;
a band adjustment unit located opposite the optics block;
a headband having a front portion and an adjustable portion,
the adjustable portion of the headband is connected to the band adjustment unit to contract a size of the headband or expand the size of the headband;
the front portion of the headband having a connection to the optics block at a center location that is proximate to the inside-facing region and is over part of the top facing region, wherein the connection is at a lower front region of the headband, such that the headband is spaced apart from the optics block other than at the connection and spaces are provided on either side of the connection, the connection is further adjustable to provide for an adjustment gap that slides the optics block out to extend away from the headband and slides the optics block in to contract toward the headband, wherein when the head mounted display is worn by a user,
the headband extends along a downward angle from the front portion that is positioned above the optics block and toward the adjustable portion, the downward angle is along a straight line positioned at a substantial center of a side of the headband and extending from an approximate upper mid-point of the front portion to an approximate lower mid-point of the adjustable portion, and
the downward angle is configured to position the band adjustment unit below an approximate center of a side of the headband; and

a pad disposed inside of the front portion of the headband, the pad provides for at least partial support of the optics block when the head mounted display is worn by the user.

2. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the band adjustment unit includes a rotary wheel that turns to contract the size or expand the size of the headband.

3. The head mounted display of claim 2 , wherein to contract the size of the headband a portion of the headband moves into the band adjustment unit and to expand the size of the headband another portion of the headband moves out of the band adjustment unit.

4. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein a region of the headband that at least partially defines the connection is formed from a lower region of the front portion of the headband, the optics block is configured to hang below the front portion of the headband.

5. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable portion of the headband is curved and includes a padded inner surface that faces the pad coupled to an inside surface of the front portion of the headband.

6. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable portion of the headband is disposed in the band adjustment unit, the band adjustment unit having a curved inner surface to be disposed proximate to a lower rear portion of a head of the user.

7. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the front portion of the headband being wider than sides of the headband.

8. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable portion of the headband is disposed in the band adjustment unit, the band adjustment unit having a partially curved padded inner surface to be disposed proximate to a lower rear portion of the head of the user when worn.

9. The head mounted display of claim 8 , wherein the band adjustment unit includes a rotary wheel that turns to contract the size or expand the size of the headband.

10. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the band adjustment unit includes one or more of a wheel adjuster, or a belt adjuster, or a notched adjuster, or a pin and hole adjuster, or a snap adjuster, or a Velcro adjuster, or a tape adjuster, or a belt and buckle adjuster, or a rope adjuster, or a link connector adjuster, or an elastic adjuster, or a clip adjuster, or a lock adjuster, or a combination of two or more thereof.

11. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the inside-facing region is configured to be disposed in front of eyes of the user when the head mounted display is worn.

12. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the forward-facing region is integral with and curves into the side regions of the optics block.

13. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the forward-facing region includes one or more cameras.

14. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein two or more forward-facing cameras are disposed in the forward-facing region.

15. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the headband is wider at the front portion and less wide along sides of the headband where the headband connects to the band adjustment unit.

16. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the downward angle is relative to a horizontal plane at the approximate center of a side of the headband.

17. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the headband does not include a center strap configured to sit over a center top of the user's head.

18. A head mounted display, comprising:
an optics block includes a display screen, the optics block having a forward-facing region, a lower-facing region, a top-facing region, an inside-facing region, and side regions that extend from the forward-facing region toward the inside-facing region, the display screen being viewable from the inside-facing region;
a band adjustment unit located opposite the optics block;
a headband having a front portion and an adjustable portion,
the adjustable portion of the headband is connected to the band adjustment unit to contract a size of the headband or expand the size of the headband;
the front portion of the headband having a connection to the optics block at a center location that is proximate to the inside-facing region and is over part of the top facing region, wherein the connection is at a lower front region of the headband, such that the headband is spaced apart from the optics block other than at the connection and spaces are provided on either side of the connection, the connection is further adjustable to provide for an adjustment gap that slides the optics block out to extend away from the headband and slides the optics block in to contract toward the headband,

a pad disposed inside of the front portion of the headband, the pad provides for at least partial support of the optics block when the head mounted display is worn by a user;
wherein the pad has a curved structure, the curved structure providing an inner pad surface for contact with an upper-front-region of a head of the user and the curved structure of the pad extends above the front portion of the headband;
wherein the headband extends along a downward angle from the front portion that is positioned above the optics block and toward the adjustable portion, the downward angle is along a straight line positioned at a substantial center of a side of the headband and extending from an approximate upper mid-point of the front portion to an approximate lower mid-point of the adjustable portion.

19. The head mounted display of claim 18 , wherein the headband does not include a center strap configured to sit over a center top of the user's head.

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Mikhailov Anton
• Larsen Eric
• Stafford Jeffrey Roger

Classifications

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G06T2207/10016

  Video; Image sequence · CPC title

• G06F3/012 Primary

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G06T2207/30204

  Marker · CPC title

• G06T7/73

  using feature-based methods · CPC title