Fit system using collapsible beams for wearable articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11150694-B2
Application number	US-201715603359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2017
Priority date	May 23, 2017
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a fit system for improving users' comfort with wearable articles, such as head-worn articles. The fit system includes a lattice of collapsible beams that can be constructed of elastomer foam located at the interface between the wearable article and a part of the user's body. The collapsible beam construction provides a non-linear relationship between the amount of force or pressure applied on the body part and the amount of compression of the foam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a frame configured to be worn on a body part of a user; and
a cushion mounted to the frame at a frame contact surface and extending to a body contact surface opposite the frame contact surface so as to be configured to be positioned between the frame and the body part of the user when the apparatus is worn by the user, the cushion including a curved two-dimensional lattice configured to produce a substantially constant reactive pressure in response to compression of the cushion over a range of compression values, the curved two-dimensional lattice including:
a plurality of rows of hexagons;
a first repeating pattern of collapsible beams having a first length and forming at least one side of each hexagon in a first row of hexagons,
a second repeating pattern of collapsible beams having a second length greater than the first length, forming at least one side of each hexagon in the first row of hexagons, and forming at least two sides of each hexagon in a second row of hexagons farther from the body contact surface than the first row of hexagons, and
a third repeating pattern of collapsible beams having a third length greater than the second length, forming at least one side of each hexagon of the second row of hexagons, and forming at least one side of each hexagon in a third row of hexagons farther from the body contact surface than the second row of hexagons.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to support the body part of the user on two opposite sides of the body part.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the frame is ring shaped.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first, second, and third repeating patterns of collapsible beams form a curved atomic or molecular lattice.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the body part is a user's head and the cushion is configured to contact the user's head on a front side of the user's head and a back side of the user's head when the apparatus is worn by the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the body part is a user's head and the cushion is constructed as a curved loop and configured to contact a circumference of the user's head when the apparatus is worn by the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the body part is a user's head and the cushion includes a plurality of pieces mounted on the frame and configured to contact a circumference of the user's head when the apparatus is worn by the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the range of compression values is perceivable by a human sensory system.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a frame configured to be worn by a user on a head of the user; and
a cushion mounted to the frame at a frame contact surface and extending to a body contact surface opposite the frame contact surface so as to be configured to be positioned between the frame and a plurality of locations on the head of the user when the apparatus is worn by the user, the cushion including a curved two-dimensional lattice configured to exhibit a range of compression values having a disproportionate relationship to compression pressure and distribute pressure evenly across the range of compression values, the curved two-dimensional lattice including:
a plurality of rows of hexagons;
a first repeating pattern of collapsible beams having a first length and forming at least one side of each hexagon in a first row of hexagons,
a second repeating pattern of collapsible beams having a second length greater than the first length, forming at least one side of each hexagon in the first row of hexagons, and forming at least two sides of each hexagon in a second row of hexagons farther from the body contact surface than the first row of hexagons, and
a third repeating pattern of collapsible beams having a third length greater than the second length, forming at least one side of each hexagon of the second row of hexagons, and forming at least one side of each hexagon in a third row of hexagons farther from the body contact surface than the second row of hexagons.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cushion is constructed as a curved loop and configured to contact a circumference of the head of the user when the apparatus is worn by the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cushion is configured to contact the user's head on a front side of the user's head and a back side of the user's head when the apparatus is worn by the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cushion includes a plurality of pieces mounted on the frame and configured to contact a circumference of the user's head when the apparatus is worn by the user.

13. A head-mounted display device comprising:
a frame configured to be worn on a head of a user; and
a cushion mounted to the frame at a frame contact surface and extending to a head contact surface opposite the frame contact surface so as to be configured to be positioned between the frame and the head of the user when the head-mounted device is worn by the user, the cushion including a curved two-dimensional lattice of hexagons including:
a first layer of hexagons;
a first pattern of collapsible beams having a first length and forming at least one side of each hexagon in the first layer of hexagons;
a second layer of hexagons farther from the head contact surface than the first laver of hexagons; and
a second pattern of collapsible beams having a second length greater than the first length and forming a shared side of a hexagon of the first layer of hexagons and a hexagon of the second layer of hexagons.

14. The head-mounted display device of claim 13 , wherein the curved two-dimensional lattice of hexagons includes a third layer of hexagons farther from the head contact surface than the second layer of hexagons; and a third pattern of collapsible beams having a third length greater than the second length and forming a shared side of a hexagon of the second layer of hexagons and a hexagon of the third layer of hexagons.

15. The head-mounted device of claim 13 , wherein the cushion is constructed as a curved loop and configured to contact a circumference of the head of the user when the head-mounted device is worn by the user.

16. The head-mounted device of claim 13 , wherein the cushion is configured to contact the user's head on a front side of the user's head and a back side of the user's head when the head-mounted device is worn by the user.

17. The head-mounted device of claim 13 , wherein the cushion includes a plurality of pieces mounted on the frame and configured to contact a circumference of the user's head when the head-mounted device is worn by the user.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Markovsky Igor
• Lin Tzu-Yuan
• Boovaragavan Vijay
• Nikkhoo Michael
• Toleno Brian

Classifications

• A42B3/124 Primary

  with at least one corrugated or ribbed layer · CPC title

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G02B27/0176

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• A42B3/127

  with removable or adjustable pads · CPC title

• A61F9/026

  Paddings; Cushions; Fittings to the face · CPC title