Positioning and stabilising structure and system incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12178276-B2
Application number	US-202017915033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A head-mounted display system includes a head-mounted display unit and a positioning and stabilising structure structured and arranged to hold the head-mounted display unit in an operational position over a user's face in use. The positioning and stabilising structure includes a rear support structure adapted to contact posterior regions of a user's head and at least one connector structured and arranged to interconnect the rear support structure to the head-mounted display unit. The rear support structure is in the form of a hoop comprising an occipital portion configured and arranged engage the user's head along a portion of the occipital bone adjacent a junction where the neck muscles attach to the occipital bone in use.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A head-mounted display system, comprising:
a head-mounted display unit; and
a positioning and stabilising structure configured to hold the head-mounted display unit in an operational position in front of a user's eyes in use,
the positioning and stabilising structure comprising:
a rear support structure configured to contact posterior regions of a user's head;
a pair of connection straps connected to the rear support structure and configured to adjust a distance between the rear support structure and the head-mounted display unit; and
a forehead support strap connected to the rear support structure and configured to connect the rear support structure to a superior region of the head-mounted display unit,
wherein the rear support structure has a three-dimensional shape in the form of a hoop prior to contacting the user's head, the hoop comprising an occipital portion configured and arranged engage the user's head along a portion of the occipital bone and a parietal portion configured and arranged to overlay the parietal bones of the user's head in use,
wherein the pair of connection straps are disposed between the occipital portion and the parietal portion,
wherein the forehead support strap is connected to the parietal portion of the rear support structure, and
wherein each of the forehead support strap and the pair of connection straps includes a width that varies along at least a portion of its length.

2. The head-mounted display system according to claim 1 , wherein the hoop is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length.

3. The head-mounted display system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning and stabilising structure further comprises opposing temporal connectors configured to interconnect the pair of connection straps to the head-mounted display unit, the opposing temporal connectors configured to be disposed on opposing sides of the user's head and extend along temporal regions of the user's head.

4. The head-mounted display system according to claim 3 , wherein each of the opposing temporal connectors comprises a temporal arm having an anterior end connected to the head-mounted display unit and a posterior end connected to a respective one of the pair of connection straps.

5. The head-mounted display system according to claim 4 , wherein the temporal arm is rigid.

6. The head-mounted display system according to claim 4 , wherein the temporal arm further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the positioning and stabilising structure to fit different size heads.

7. The head-mounted display system according to claim 6 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is disposed at a connection between the posterior end of the temporal arm and the respective one of the pair of connection straps.

8. The head-mounted display system according to claim 7 , wherein the respective one of the pair of connection straps comprises a connection tab configured to connect to the temporal arm and the adjustment mechanism allows for adjustment of an effective length of the connection tab.

9. The head-mounted display system according to claim 8 , wherein the posterior end of the temporal arm includes an eyelet configured to receive the connection tab, and the adjustment mechanism comprises a releasable fastening arrangement configured to fasten the connection tab to the temporal arm.

10. The head-mounted display system according to claim 9 , wherein the releasable fastening arrangement is configured to secure a free end of the connection tab back onto a proximal portion of the connection tab.

11. The head-mounted display system according to claim 1 , wherein the forehead support strap is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length.

12. The head-mounted display system according to claim 1 , wherein the forehead support strap further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an effective length of the forehead support strap to fit different size heads.

13. A positioning and stabilising structure configured to hold a head-mounted display unit in an operational position in front of a user's eyes in use, the positioning and stabilising structure comprising:
a rear support structure configured to contact posterior regions of a user's head;
a pair of connection straps connected to the rear support structure and configured to adjust a distance between the rear support structure and the head-mounted display unit; and
a forehead support strap connected to the rear support structure and configured to connect the rear support structure to a superior region of the head-mounted display unit,
wherein the rear support structure has a three-dimensional shape in the form of a hoop prior to contacting the user's head, the hoop comprising an occipital portion configured and arranged engage the user's head along a portion of the occipital bone and a parietal portion configured and arranged to overlay the parietal bones of the user's head in use,
wherein the pair of connection straps are disposed between the occipital portion and the parietal portion,
wherein the forehead support strap is connected to the parietal portion of the rear support structure, and
wherein each of the forehead support strap and the pair of connection straps includes a width that varies along at least a portion of its length.

14. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 13 , wherein the hoop is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length.

15. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 13 , further comprising opposing temporal connectors configured to interconnect the pair of connection straps to the head-mounted display unit, the opposing temporal connectors configured to be disposed on opposing sides of the user's head and extend along temporal regions of the user's head.

16. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 15 wherein each of the opposing temporal connectors comprises a temporal arm having an anterior end configured to connect to the head-mounted display unit and a posterior end configured to connect to a respective one of the pair of connection straps.

17. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 16 , wherein the temporal arm is rigid.

18. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 16 , wherein the temporal arm further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the positioning and stabilising structure to fit different size heads.

19. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 18 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is disposed at a connection between the posterior end of the temporal arm and the respective one of the pair of connection straps.

20. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 19 , wherein the respective one of the pair of connection straps comprises a connection tab configured to connect to the temporal arm and the adjustment mechanism allows for adjustment of an effective length of the connection tab.

21. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 20 , wherein the posterior end of the temporal arm includes an eyelet configured to receive the connection tab, and the adjustment mechanism comprises a releasable fastening arrangement configured to fasten the connection tab to the temporal arm.

22. The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 21 , wherein the releasable fastening arrangement is configured to secure a free end

Assignees

• ResMed Pty Ltd

Inventors

• Law Ian Andrew

Classifications

• A42B3/145

  Size adjustment devices · CPC title

• A61M2210/06

  Head · CPC title

• A42B3/085 Primary

  Occipital retention systems · CPC title

• G02B27/0176 Primary

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title