This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices such as head-mounted devices.
Electronic devices such as head-mounted devices may have one or more displays for displaying images. The displays may be housed in a head-mounted support structure.
A head-mounted device may have a main housing unit, at least one display in the main housing unit, and a nosepiece coupled to the main housing unit. The nosepiece may be a light-shielding structure that includes rigid members, flexible members, and/or fabric members.
The fabric and flexible members may define an outline or shape that conforms to the outline of the nasal region and closes gaps around the nasal region. By doing so, the light-shielding structure may be configured to block environmental light from entering an interior of the head-mounted device when the head-mounted device is worn on a user's head. The rigid members may be coupled to the main housing unit and support the flexible members in keeping a particular shape.
The flexible members may include elastomeric members, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) members. The elastomeric members may have multiple perforations that allow the elastomer to stretch/deform to a user's nose, while retaining sufficient rigidity to support being wrapped by a low force, high stretch textile or other low force, high stretch material. The rigidity may also allow the elastomeric members to maintain their shape while the head-mounted device is worn, while still conforming to the user's nose. Additional structures, such as structural frames and semi-rigid members may be used to increase the rigidity of the nosepiece. Alternatively or additionally, deformable members, such as service loops or stiffeners may help in adjusting the nosepiece to a user's nose.
Head-mounted devices include head-mounted support structures that allow the devices to be worn on the heads of users. The head-mounted support structures may include device housings for housing components such as displays that are used for presenting a user with visual content. Head-mounted devices may also include a light-shielding nosepiece that rests on the nose of the user. The light-shielding nosepiece may include an elastomeric layer with perforations and fabric that covers the elastomeric layer. The elastomeric layer with the perforations may allow the light-shielding nosepiece to conform to the user's nose while the device is worn, while maintaining enough rigidity to be wrapped by a low force, high stretch textile or other low force, high stretch material. Additional structures, such as rigid structures or semi-rigid structures, may be included in the light-shielding nosepiece to provide additional support for the device while it is worn.
A schematic diagram of an illustrative system having an electronic device with a light-shielding nosepiece is shown in
As shown in
During operation, the communications circuitry of the devices in system 8 (e.g., the communications circuitry of control circuitry 12 of device 10), may be used to support communication between the electronic devices. For example, one electronic device may transmit video and/or audio data to another electronic device in system 8. Electronic devices in system 8 may use wired and/or wireless communications circuitry to communicate through one or more communications networks (e.g., the internet, local area networks, etc.). The communications circuitry may be used to allow data to be received by device 10 from external equipment (e.g., a tethered computer, a portable device such as a handheld device or laptop computer, online computing equipment such as a remote server or other remote computing equipment, or other electrical equipment) and/or to provide data to external equipment.
Device 10 may include input-output devices 22. Input-output devices 22 may be used to allow a user to provide device 10 with user input. Input-output devices 22 may also be used to gather information on the environment in which device 10 is operating. Output components in devices 22 may allow device 10 to provide a user with output and may be used to communicate with external electrical equipment.
As shown in
Display 14 may be used to display images. The visual content that is displayed on display 14 may be viewed by a user of device 10. Displays in device 10 such as display 14 may be organic light-emitting diode displays or other displays based on arrays of light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, liquid-crystal-on-silicon displays, projectors or displays based on projecting light beams on a surface directly or indirectly through specialized optics (e.g., digital micromirror devices), electrophoretic displays, plasma displays, electrowetting displays, microLED displays, or any other suitable displays.
Display 14 may present computer-generated content such as virtual reality content and mixed reality content to a user. Virtual reality content may be displayed in the absence of real-world content. Mixed reality content, which may sometimes be referred to as augmented reality content, may include computer-generated images that are overlaid on real-world images. The real-world images may be captured by a camera (e.g., a forward-facing camera) and merged with overlaid computer-generated content or an optical coupling system may be used to allow computer-generated content to be overlaid on top of real-world images. As an example, a pair of mixed reality glasses or other augmented reality head-mounted display may include a display device that provides images to a user through a beam splitter, prism, holographic coupler, or other optical coupler. Configurations in which display 14 is used to display virtual reality content to a user through lenses are described herein as an example.
Input-output devices 22 may include sensors 16. Sensors 16 may include, for example, three-dimensional sensors (e.g., three-dimensional image sensors such as structured light sensors that emit beams of light and that use two-dimensional digital image sensors to gather image data for three-dimensional images from light spots that are produced when a target is illuminated by the beams of light, binocular three-dimensional image sensors that gather three-dimensional images using two or more cameras in a binocular imaging arrangement, three-dimensional lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors, three-dimensional radio-frequency sensors, or other sensors that gather three-dimensional image data), cameras (e.g., infrared and/or visible digital image sensors), gaze tracking sensors (e.g., a gaze tracking system based on an image sensor and, if desired, a light source that emits one or more beams of light that are tracked using the image sensor after reflecting from a user's eyes), touch sensors, buttons, force sensors, sensors such as contact sensors based on switches, gas sensors, pressure sensors, moisture sensors, magnetic sensors, audio sensors (microphones), ambient light sensors, microphones for gathering voice commands and other audio input, sensors that are configured to gather information on motion, position, and/or orientation (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, and/or inertial measurement units that include all of these sensors or a subset of one or two of these sensors), fingerprint sensors and other biometric sensors, optical position sensors (optical encoders), and/or other position sensors such as linear position sensors, and/or other sensors.
User input and other information may be gathered using sensors and other input devices in input-output devices 22. If desired, input-output devices 22 may include other devices 24 such as haptic output devices (e.g., vibrating components), light-emitting diodes and other light sources, speakers such as ear speakers for producing audio output, and other electrical components. Device 10 may include circuits for receiving wireless power, circuits for transmitting power wirelessly to other devices, batteries and other energy storage devices (e.g., capacitors), joysticks, buttons, and/or other components.
Electronic device 10 may have housing structures (e.g., housing walls, straps, etc.), as shown by illustrative support structures 26 of
In some embodiments, support structures 26 may include a light-shielding nosepiece. The light-shielding nosepiece may be attached to support structures 26, such as a main housing portion of electronic device 10, and may rest on the user's nose while device 10 is worn. The light-shielding nosepiece may be flexible, to allow the nosepiece to conform to the user's nose, while retaining enough rigidity to support device 10 on the user's face while it is being worn (i.e., to maintain its shape on the user's nose while the device is worn) and to be wrapped by a fabric or other material. If desired, the light-shielding nosepiece may also include stiffeners or other components that help maintain the nosepiece on the user's nose to prevent light from reaching the user's eyes. An example of an illustrative electronic device having a nosepiece is shown in
As shown in
To present a user with images for viewing from eye boxes (e.g., eye boxes in which the user's eyes are located when device 10 is being worn on the user's head), device 10 may include displays and lenses. These components may be mounted in optical modules or other supporting structure in the housing to form respective left and right optical systems. There may be, for example, a left display for presenting an image through a left lens to a user's left eye in a left eye box and a right display for presenting an image through a right lens to a user's right eye in a right eye box.
If desired, the housing may have forward-facing components such as cameras and other sensors on a front side for gathering sensor measurements and other input and may have a soft cushion on an opposing rear side of the housing. The rear side of the housing may have openings that allow the user to view images (image light 32) from the left and right optical systems (e.g., when the rear side of the housing is resting on the user's head).
If desired, device 10 may have an adjustable strap or headband, and if desired, may have other structures (e.g., an over-the-head strap) to help hold the housing on the user's head.
As shown in
Nosepiece 28 may be configured as a light-shielding structure and may therefore be sometimes referred to as light-shielding structure 28 or light-shielding nosepiece 28. As an example, it may be desirable to enhance the viewing experience of the user by blocking external environmental light from entering the interior of device 10 (e.g., from entering the eye boxes) when device 10 is worn by the user. Nosepiece 28 may conform to the facial topology of the user around the user's nose and block light from entering the eye boxes. In some illustrative configurations, nosepiece 28 may be adjustable to conform to varying facial topologies of different users (e.g., portions of nosepiece 28 may deform differently based on the nose shapes of the users).
Nosepiece 28 may be mounted to a housing portion of electronic device 10, such as head-mounted support structures 26, at mounting points 30. The housing may include a housing frame that runs along the periphery of device 10. If desired, the housing frame may be overlapped by a cushion member on the rear side of the housing facing the user. As an example, the cushion member may include foam structures or other soft compressible structures affixed to the housing frame. A fabric may overlap and extend over the housing frame and/or the cushion member on the rear side of the housing. If desired, the fabric may enclose only the cushion member, and the fabric-enclosed cushion member may be removably coupled to the housing frame.
Mounting points 30 may be located at a bottom portion of the housing frame (e.g., a bottom portion of support structures 26). As examples, mounting points 30 may include coupling mechanisms such as magnets, adhesive, hinges, or any other suitable coupling mechanisms.
In the example of
In some illustrative examples, nosepiece 28 may be removably coupled (via magnetics) to the housing frame or other portions of the housing. In some illustrative examples, a portion of nosepiece 28 may form an integral portion of the housing frame and/or may not be removable from the housing.
Support structures 26 (e.g., housing frames) and nosepiece 28 (along with other desired structures) may define the periphery of the eye boxes of device 10 at which the user's eyes are located. Components, such as displays, lenses, sensors, etc., may overlap and/or be located within the eye boxes of device 10, and may be enclosed by and/or mounted to support structures 26 and/or nosepiece 28. As illustratively shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, elastomer 34 may include perforations 36. Perforations 36 may allow elastomer 34 to bend to accommodate a user's nose (i.e., in the horizontal left and right directions of
Perforations 36 may be formed in any desired pattern. In the example of
The use of slits formed in a brick pattern, as shown in
As shown in
Three-part openings 37 may allow elastomer 34 to stretch/deform in two or more axes. As a result, elastomer 34 (and therefore nosepiece 28) may contour to a user's nose more accurately (e.g., elastomer 34 may be able to deform to a user's nose and therefore adapt to the shape of the user's nose). In this way, elastomer 34 may seal to the user's nose and prevent light from interfering with displays in the head-mounted device.
Different types of perforations may be used in a single elastomeric member. For example, as shown in
Elastomer 34 may have a shape that generally conforms to a user's nose, such as a chevron shape, as shown in
As shown in
Fabric 40 may be tented over elastomer 34. Tenting of the fabric cover over an underlying structure may be achieved by the underlying structure contacting or otherwise supporting the fabric cover at one or more points or areas of support as the fabric cover extends over one or more sides of the underlying structure. The tenting of the fabric cover over the underlying structure may cause the fabric cover to follow the general outline of the underlying structure, especially around the areas of support. If desired, differences in the outlines of the fabric cover and of the underlying structure may exist, especially in some regions away from the areas of support, thereby causing some portions of the fabric cover to be suspended in air and therefore readily deflectable. As an example, the fabric cover may be deflectable to the boundary of the underlying structure (or even beyond the boundary of the underlying structure if the boundary is defined by a flexible or deformable member).
The rigidity of elastomer 34, which is preserved in the vertical direction by perforations 36, may allow elastomer 34 to be wrapped by fabric 40 (or other low force, high stretch textile, or other low force, high stretch material) without deforming. In other words, elastomer 34 may be rigid enough to maintain its shape while fabric 40 is applied to/wrapped around elastomer 34 (as well as to maintain its shape when the device is worn by a user), but flexible enough that it can conform to a user's nose.
In such a way, the fabric cover may have a three-dimensional shape (based on an outline of the underlying structure) that includes portions (e.g., directly supported by the underlying structure) that are more defined and portions (e.g., not directly supported by the underlying structure, suspended in air, etc.) that are less defined, and more flexible or yielding. These less-defined portions (e.g., a yielding fabric surface) may help form flexible boundaries such as those for an opening configured to receive a user's nose.
As a particular illustrative example, the underlying structure may have surfaces that define an opening for accommodating a user's nose. The surfaces may be surrounded by peripheral edges. The fabric cover may be tented over the underlying structure such that the fabric cover is directly supported by the underlying structure along one or more of the peripheral edges of the underlying structure and may be suspended in air around the opening, thereby providing a fabric surface that is deflectable by the user's nose. This may help with improving user comfort as well as providing a more conformal fit when the light shielding structure rests on the user's nose.
Regardless of the shape of fabric region 40, fabric region 40 (and/or elastomer 34) may be bonded to support structures 26 (such as a housing frame) using adhesive 42. However, the use of adhesive 42 is merely illustrative. Fabric 40 and/or elastomer 34 may be formed integrally with support structures 26, or may be attached to support structures 26 using any desired attachment mechanism.
Although nosepiece 28 is shown as including both elastomer 34 and fabric 40, this is merely illustrative. If desired, nosepiece 28 may include elastomer 34 without an overlapping fabric layer. In this case, another layer, such as a polymer or rubber, may overlap elastomer 34, or elastomer 34 may directly contact a user's nose as they wear device 10. Alternatively, nosepiece 28 may include fabric 40 without elastomer 34, if desired. In this case, fabric 40 may be a flat knit fabric to provide sufficient stretching over a user's nose, while providing enough support for device 10.
Although fabric 38/40 is described as fabric, this is merely illustrative. In general, fabric 38/40 may be any low force, high stretch material, such as a low force, high stretch textile.
In some embodiments, although elastomer 34 may have rigidity to support device 10 on a user's nose (i.e., in the vertical direction of
As shown in
Although
Additionally, although
Regardless of the attachment of structural frame 43 to elastomer 34 and/or fabric 40, fabric 40 may extend over all or some of both frame 43 and/or elastomer 34. An example of a stack up of nosepiece 28 is shown in
As shown in
In some cases, it may be desirable to allow elastomer 34 to move to a greater extent, and therefore leave elastomer 34 un-bonded from fabric 40. For example, elastomer 34 may be fully surrounded fabric 40 and float within the fabric. In some embodiments portions of fabric 40 may be bonded directly to each other, rather than to elastomer 34. In this way, elastomer 34 may float within fabric 40, which may allow 34 to move more freely.
Because nosepiece 28 is designed to block light from reaching the eye boxes of a user wearing device 10, it may be desirable to ensure a tight fit between nosepiece 28 and the user's nose and a similarly tight fit between nosepiece 28 and device 10. An example of an extension piece that may allow for nosepiece 28 to fit tightly with device 10 is shown in
As shown in
In addition or as an alternative to extension piece 46, it may be desirable to ensure a close fit to a user's nose to prevent light from entering the user's eye boxes. Examples of nosepieces that have additional structures to improve the fit to a user's nose are shown in
As shown in
Alternatively or additionally, nosepiece 28 may include foam 48. Foam 48 may fill a gap between nosepiece 28 and the user's nose, and may be compressible to allow for a secure fit between nosepiece 28 and the nose. Foam 48 may directly contact the nose of the user (e.g., may be on a surface of a fabric layer, such as fabric 40), as shown in
Instead of service loop 49, a deformable stiffener, such as deformable stiffener 58, may be incorporated into nosepiece 28. As shown in
In some embodiments, to ensure that nosepiece 28 is tightly sealed to the nose of a user, internal components of device 10, such as fans, may be used to move air toward nosepiece 28, thereby sealing nosepiece 28 around the user's nose.
In addition to improving the fit of nosepiece 28 to prevent light from entering the eye boxes of the user, it may also be desirable to incorporate layers into nosepiece 28 that improve the comfort for the user. Examples of various modifications that may be made to nosepiece 28 to improve user comfort are shown in
As shown in
Alternatively or additionally, a nosepiece may include foam, such as foam 62, between some or all of elastomer 34 and fabric 40, as shown in
In some examples, it may be desirable to have a series of openings in elastomer 34 that are either unfilled or filled with different material, such as foam. For example, in
If desired, a portion of fabric may be extended from the portion that contacts the user's nose to provide an additional buffer between the nose and elastomer 34. As shown in
If desired, at least some portions of elastomer 34 that would otherwise contact the user's nose may be cut and replaced by more flexible material, such as foam. As shown in
In addition to, or instead of, the modifications of
Although
All of the examples in
As shown in
Although nosepieces, such as nosepiece 28, have been described as including an elastomeric member, such as elastomer 34, this is merely illustrative. In some embodiments, elastomer 34 may be omitted. For example, in the example of
The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/504,134, filed May 24, 2023, and the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/397,581, filed Aug. 12, 2022, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63504134 | May 2023 | US | |
63397581 | Aug 2022 | US |