Eyewear having a projector with heat sink shields

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12498583-B2
Application number	US-202217725245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2022
Priority date	Apr 23, 2021
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A projector, such as for eyewear, having a first and second shield that individually sink heat from a light source and provide electromagnetic (EM) shielding for the projector, and a processor controlling the projector. The shields sink heat evenly and efficiently, to different portions of the eyewear. In one example, the heat is directed in different directions. The shields encompass the light source and the processor, and they may be parallel to one another. The thickness of the shield coupled to the light source is thicker proximate the light source. The shields may be separated from each other by a thermal insulating material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Eyewear, comprising:
a frame; a temple coupled to the frame; an optical component supported by the frame; and a projector, comprising:
a light source configured to generate a light beam;
a controller configured to control the light source;
a display configured to modulate the light beam to generate an image;
a first shield and a second shield disposed on opposite sides of the projector, and together encompassing the light source and the controller;
the first shield thermally coupled to the light source and configured to sink heat generated by the light source; and
the second shield thermally coupled to the controller and configured to sink heat generated by the controller, wherein the first shield and the second shield are thermally isolated from one another, wherein heat of one of the shields is configured to be sunk only to the frame, and heat of the other shield is configured to be sunk only to the temple.

2 . The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the first shield and the second shield are parallel to each other.

3 . The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the light source is coupled to the first shield by a thermal insulating material (TIM).

4 . The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the first shield has a greater thickness proximate the light source than at a portion disposed away from the light source.

5 . The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the first and second shields sink heat in different directions.

6 . A heat sink configured to couple to a projector of an eyewear having a frame and a temple coupled to the frame, the projector having a light source configured to generate a light beam, a controller configured to control the light source, a display configured to modulate the light beam to generate an image, a first shield and a second shield disposed on opposite sides of the projector, and together encompassing the light source and the controller, comprising:
the first shield thermally configured to couple to the light source and configured to sink heat generated by the light source to the frame; and the second shield thermally configured to couple to the controller and configured to sink heat generated by the controller to the temple, wherein the first shield and the second shield are thermally isolated from one another, wherein heat of one of the shields is sunk only to the frame, and heat of the other shield is sunk only to the temple.

7 . The heat sink of claim 6 , wherein the first shield and the second shield are parallel to each other.

8 . The heat sink of claim 6 , wherein the light source is coupled to the first shield by a thermal insulating material (TIM).

9 . The heat sink of claim 6 , wherein the first shield has a greater thickness proximate a portion to be coupled to the light source than at a portion disposed away from the light source.

10 . The heat sink of claim 6 , wherein the first and second shields sink heat in different directions.

11 . The heat sink of claim 10 , wherein the first shield is coupled to a frame of an eyewear device, and the second shield is coupled to a temple of the eyewear device.

12 . A method of using a projector of an eyewear having a frame, a temple coupled to the frame, and a light source configured to generate a light beam, a controller configured to control the light source, a display configured to modulate the light beam to generate an image, a first shield and a second shield disposed on opposite sides of the projector, and together encompassing the light source and the controller, the first shield thermally coupled to the light source and configured to sink heat generated by the light source, and the second shield thermally coupled to the controller and configured to sink heat generated by the controller, wherein the first shield and the second shield are thermally isolated from one another, comprising:
the first shield sinking heat from the light source; and the second shield sinking heat from the controller, wherein heat of one of the first-shields is sunk only to the frame, and heat of the other shield is sunk only to the temple.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first shield and the second shield are parallel to each other.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the light source is coupled to the first shield by a thermal insulating material (TIM).

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first shield has a greater thickness proximate the light source than at a portion disposed away from the light source.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second shields sink heat in different directions.

Assignees

• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Ashwood Andrea
• Fliszar David G
• Heger Jason
• Olgun Ugur
• Ryner Michael Christian
• Simons Patrick Timothy Mcsweeney
• Steger Stephen Andrew

Classifications

• G03B21/16

  Cooling; Preventing overheating · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• H05K7/20963

  Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20972 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B27/18

  for optical projection, e.g. combination of mirror and condenser and objective {(photographic, cine and overhead projectors G03B21/00; photographic projection printing G03B27/32; photolithographic projectors G03F7/20; projection television H04N5/74; colour projection television H04N9/31)} · CPC title