Head-mounted display apparatus, optical unit, and manufacturing method of optical unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12298520-B2
Application number	US-202318450356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2023
Priority date	Aug 17, 2022
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

An HMD includes a first display element, a holder configured to hold the first display element, a first projection optical system configured to project an image formed on the first display element, a barrel which is a case configured to house the first projection optical system in a positioned state, and a dust-proof structure configured to achieve fixing of the holder and the barrel while ensuring dust-proofing of the holder and the barrel, wherein the holder includes a support frame inserted into the barrel through an insertion opening formed at the barrel while supporting the first display element, and a base plate coupled to a root of the support frame, the barrel includes a pedestal facing the base plate, and the dust-proof structure includes an adhesive material extending along a periphery of the base plate and protruding to the pedestal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-mounted display apparatus, comprising:
a display element;
a holder configured to hold the display element;
a projection optical system configured to project an image formed on the display element; and
a case configured to house the projection optical system in a positioned state, wherein
the display element includes a plate-shaped main body and a flexible printed circuit portion coupled to an upper portion of the plate-shaped main body,
the holder includes a support frame inserted into the case through an insertion opening formed at the case while supporting the display element, and a base plate coupled to a root of the support frame,
the case includes a holder pedestal facing the base plate, and
a dust-proof structure includes an adhesive material extending along a periphery of the base plate and protruding to the holder pedestal,
wherein the display element supported by the holder is configured to be inserted into an inner space of the case from an upper side of the case via the insertion opening and be fixed in the positioned state, and
when the display element is fixed in the positioned state, the flexible printed circuit portion extends upward and out of the insertion opening, and the support frame of the holder is located in the inner space of the case and extends in parallel to the plate-shaped main body of the display element.

2. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dust-proof structure is configured to achieve fixing of the holder and the case while ensuring dust-proofing of the holder and the case.

3. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the dust-proof structure includes a sealing member that is formed of a photocurable resin and maintains a state in which the holder is positioned with respect to the case.

4. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the case includes a container-shaped main body including a bottom plate member and a side wall, and a cover provided with the insertion opening and configured to cover an inside of the main body to form a housing space,
the projection optical system includes a first optical member arranged on a light emission side of the display element, and a second optical member arranged on a light emission side of the first optical member and configured to bend an optical path by a reflection surface,
an emission surface of the second optical member is exposed to an emission opening formed at the bottom plate member of the main body, and
the dust-proof structure includes a sealing member that seals a coupling portion between the main body and the cover, and seals a gap between the emission opening of the main body and a periphery of the emission surface of the second optical member.

5. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the sealing member seals the gap between the emission opening of the main body and the periphery of the emission surface of the second optical member by an elastic adhesive material.

6. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
a first surface formed at the base plate and a second surface formed at the holder pedestal face each other, and a plane obtained by extending the first surface intersects the second optical member.

7. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the insertion opening has a size including an adjustment margin that tolerates movement of the support frame in a normal direction of a display surface of the display element.

8. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the dust-proof structure includes a step that holds the adhesive material protruding to the base plate due to positioning of the holder, around the base plate of the holder to prevent diffusion.

9. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the dust-proof structure includes a step that holds the adhesive material protruding to the holder pedestal due to positioning of the holder, around the holder pedestal of the case to prevent diffusion.

10. An optical unit, comprising:
a display element;
a holder configured to hold the display element;
a projection optical system configured to project an image formed on the display element; and
a case configured to house the projection optical system in a positioned state, wherein
the display element includes a plate-shaped main body and a flexible printed circuit portion coupled to an upper portion of the plate-shaped main body,
the holder includes a support frame inserted into the case through an insertion opening formed at the case while supporting the display element, and a base plate coupled to a root of the support frame,
the case includes a holder pedestal facing the base plate, and
a dust-proof structure includes an adhesive material extending along a periphery of the base plate and protruding to the holder pedestal,
wherein the display element supported by the holder is configured to be inserted into an inner space of the case from an upper side of the case via the insertion opening and be fixed in the positioned state, and
when the display element is fixed in the positioned state, the flexible printed circuit portion extends upward and out of the insertion opening, and the support frame of the holder is located in the inner space of the case and extends in parallel to the plate-shaped main body of the display element.

11. The optical unit according to claim 10 , wherein the dust-proof structure is configured to achieve fixing of the holder and the case while ensuring dust-proofing of the holder and the case.

12. A manufacturing method of an optical unit in which a holder for holding a display element is fixed to a case for housing a projection optical system in a positioned state,
the display element including a plate-shaped main body and a flexible printed circuit portion coupled to an upper portion of the plate-shaped main body,
the holder including a support frame inserted into the case through an insertion opening formed at the case while supporting the display element, and a base plate coupled to a root of the support frame, the manufacturing method comprising:
inserting the display element supported by the support frame into an inner space of the case from an upper side of the case via the insertion opening formed at the case; and
fixing the base plate by an adhesive material to a holder pedestal provided near the insertion opening of the case so that the display element is fixed inside the case in the positioned state, wherein
when the display element is fixed in the positioned state, the flexible printed circuit portion extends upward and out of the insertion opening, and the support frame of the holder is located in the inner space of the case and extends in parallel to the plate-shaped main body of the display element.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ikeda Takuya
• Miyao Toshiaki
• Noguchi Toshiyuki

Classifications

• G02B27/0006

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• G02B27/0983

  being curved · CPC title

• G02B27/144

  using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity (G02B27/147 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B27/02

  Viewing or reading apparatus (stereoscopic systems G02B30/00) · CPC title