U.S. patent application number 11/473559 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for wearable display unit, headphones and system provided with these.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nikon Corporation. Invention is credited to Shigeru Kato, Nobuyuki Miyake, Masaki Ootsuki.
Application Number | 20060238878 11/473559 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34743919 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060238878 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miyake; Nobuyuki ; et
al. |
October 26, 2006 |
Wearable display unit, headphones and system provided with
these
Abstract
Inclination of an image display unit is prevented at the time of
using a wearable display unit in which the image display unit can
move between a projection position where the image display unit
comes in front of a user's eye and a retracted position where the
image display unit has been retracted from the front of the user's
eye. A display support member 27 is prevented from rotating in
relation to a display support member housing part 31 in a direction
included in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of
the display support member 27, even in a state that the display
support member can move. To that end, grooves 28a, 28b extending in
the longitudinal direction are formed in the display support member
27, while guide rollers 34a, 34a in contact with these grooves are
provided within the display support member housing part 31.
Inventors: |
Miyake; Nobuyuki;
(Hiratsuka-shi, JP) ; Kato; Shigeru;
(Kawasaki-shi, JP) ; Ootsuki; Masaki;
(Yokohama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KLARQUIST SPARKMAN, LLP
121 SW SALMON STREET
SUITE 1600
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Assignee: |
Nikon Corporation
|
Family ID: |
34743919 |
Appl. No.: |
11/473559 |
Filed: |
June 23, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/JP04/19352 |
Dec 24, 2004 |
|
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11473559 |
Jun 23, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
359/630 ;
348/E5.145 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/7491 20130101;
G02B 27/0176 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/630 |
International
Class: |
G02B 27/14 20060101
G02B027/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 26, 2003 |
JP |
2003-434294 |
Jan 8, 2004 |
JP |
2004-2834 |
Jan 19, 2004 |
JP |
2004-10781 |
Mar 31, 2004 |
JP |
2004-103723 |
Mar 31, 2004 |
JP |
2004-103724 |
Claims
1. A wearable display unit provided with an image display unit for
displaying an image in front of an eye of a user and, the image
display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye,
comprising: a display support member that has a bar shape and is
fixed to said image display unit; a display support member holding
part that holds said display support member movably between a
projecting position where said image display unit can be positioned
in front of the eye of the user and a retracted position where said
image display unit has been retracted from the front of the eye of
the user; and an anti-rotation means that prevents rotation of said
display support member in relation to said display support member
holding part in a neighborhood of, and including at least, said
projecting position between said projecting position and said
retracted position, with respect to rotation in a direction within
a plane nearly perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the
display support member, even when said display support member is in
a movable state.
2. A wearable display unit according to claim 1, wherein said
anti-rotation means comprises: an anti-rotation-shape part formed,
at least in a part of said display support member, to have an outer
peripheral shape of a cross section having parts whose distances
from a center of gravity in said cross section are different from
each other, with said cross section being perpendicular to the
longitudinal direction of the display support member; and an
abutting part that is a part of said display support member holding
part and can not be rotated in a sense of said rotation, with said
abutting part abutting on said anti-rotation-shape part of said
display support member at least in said neighborhood of the
projecting position.
3. A wearable display unit according to claim 1, wherein said
anti-rotation means comprises: an anti-rotation-shape part formed,
at least in a part of said display support member, to have an outer
peripheral shape of a cross section different from a circle, with
said cross section being perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction of the display support member; and an abutting part that
is a part of said display support member holding part and can not
be rotated in a sense of said rotation, with said abutting part
abutting on said anti-rotation-shape part of said display support
member at least in said neighborhood of the projecting
position.
4. A wearable display unit according to claim 2, wherein: an outer
peripheral shape of said cross section of said display support
member is different between on a tip end side to which said image
display unit is fixed and on a base end side opposite to said tip
end side; and said base end portion of the display support member
forms said anti-rotation-shape part.
5. A wearable display unit according to claim 4, wherein an outer
peripheral shape of said cross section on said tip end side of said
display support member is a circle.
6. A wearable display unit according to claim 2, wherein: said
display support member is formed with a groove extending in said
longitudinal direction; said display su port member holding part
has a guide roller that is in contact with a surface of said
display support member, with said surface being formed with said
groove; and a part of said display support member, said part having
said grove, is said anti-rotation-shape part, and said guide roller
is said abutting part.
7. A wearable display unit according to claim 1, wherein: said
display support member holding part has a driving source that moves
said display support member; and a drive transmission part of said
driving source is in contact with said display support member.
8. A wearable display unit according to claim 7, further comprising
a holding means that holds said drive transmission part toward said
display support member.
9. A wearable display unit according to claim 1, wherein: said
display support member has a shape curved in the longitudinal
direction so that said shape extends along a head of the user; and
said image display unit can be moved in a locus corresponding to
said curved shape, between said projecting position and said
retracted position.
10. A wearable display unit according to claim 1, wherein said
display support member holding part comprises a display support
member housing that houses said display support member at the
retracted position.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation application of, and claims benefit
from, corresponding international application PCT/JP2004/19352,
filed Dec. 24, 2004, which claims priority from Japan Patent
Application No. 2003-434294, filed Dec. 26, 2003, Japan Patent
Application No. 2004-002834, filed Jan. 8, 2004, Japan Patent
Application No. 2004-010781, filed Jan. 19, 2004, Japan Patent
Application No. 2004-103723, filed Mar. 31, 2004, and Japan Patent
Application No. 2004-103724, filed Mar. 31, 2004, all of which
applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a wearable display unit
provided with an image display unit for displaying an image in
front of an eye of a user and the image display unit can be
arranged near a user's eye, headphones attached to the wearable
display unit, and a system provided with these components.
[0003] As a device for displaying an image in front of an eye of a
user, there is a device called a wearable display unit or a
head-mounted display.
[0004] For example, the below-mentioned Non-patent Document 1 shows
a conventional device of such a type.
[0005] A wearable display unit described in Non-patent Document 1
comprises: an image display unit; a round-bar-shaped display
support member whose end fixes the image display unit; a display
support member holding part that supports the display support
member slidably; and a head mounting belt to which the display
support member holding part is attached. The display support member
holding part comprises: a display support member housing that
houses the display support member; and a restricting screw for
restricting the display support member such that the display
support member can not move relatively to the display support
member housing. The display support member housing is formed with a
display support member through hole for inserting the display
support member and a threaded hole extending in the direction
intersecting the display support member through hole. The
restricting screw is screwed into the threaded hole and presses the
display support member in the display support member housing to
restrict the display support member such that the display support
member can not move.
[0006] To use this wearable display unit, first the head mounting
belt is put on the head of a user. Then, the restricting screw is
loosened to pull out the display support member from the display
support member housing such that the image display unit is led to
the front of a user's eye. Then, the display support member is
rotated slightly in relation to the display support member housing
around the longitudinal axis of the display support member, to
adjust the inclination of the image display unit. Thereafter, the
restricting screw is screwed into the display support member
housing to restrict the display support member such that the
display support member can neither move nor rotate . . .
[0007] Other related techniques are displayed in the
below-mentioned Patent Documents 1, 2 and 3.
[0008] A wearable display unit described in Patent Document 1 has a
head mounting belt and a display device. Mechanical structures for
fixing the display device unit are provided to the head mounting
belt in the neighborhoods of the right and left eyes, respectively.
Thus, since this wearable display unit is provided with the
mechanical structures for fixing the display device unit at the
portions of the head mounting belt in the neighborhoods of the
right and left eyes respectively, it is possible to place the
display device unit both in the neighborhood of the right eye and
in the neighborhood of the left eye.
[0009] Patent Document 2 describes a wearable display unit whose
image display unit is provided with an anti-swing member that can
be in contact with a nose of a user to avoid effect of unintended
movement of the image display unit owing to a motion of the
user.
[0010] A wearable display unit described in Patent Document 3
comprises: an image display unit for displaying an image in front
of a user's eye; a head mounting member to be mounted on the head
of the user; a display support member that supports the image
display unit; and a coupling member for coupling the display
support member to the head mounting member. This wearable display
unit has a spherical seat at a portion of connection between the
display support member and the coupling member so that the image
display unit fixed to the end of the display support member can
swing in various directions together with the display support
member.
[0011] Non-patent Document 1: Interactive Imaging Systems Second
Sight, 1/2 page, retrieved on Dec. 9, 2004, Internet
<URL:http://www.iisvr.com/products_mobility_Main.html>
[0012] Patent Document 1: Japanese Non-examined Patent Laid-Open
No. 10-74051, FIG. 2
[0013] Patent Document 2: Japanese Non-examined Patent Laid-Open
No. 2000-3143, FIG. 1
[0014] Patent Document 3: Japanese Non-examined Patent Laid-Open
No. 2000-3143, FIGS. 2 and 6
SUMMARY
[0015] According to the technique described in Non-patent Document
1, the center of gravity of the image display unit does not exist
on the axis of the display support member. Thus, when the wearable
display unit is used in a state that the image display unit is
positioned in front of a user, sometimes the weight of the image
display unit generates force causing the display support member to
rotate on its longitudinal axis and, as a result, the image display
unit to incline. In particular, when the head of the user using the
wearable display unit moves rapidly, the image display unit
frequently inclines downward even if the restricting screw has been
screwed tightly to some degree.
[0016] The present invention has been made considering these
conventional problems. An object of the present invention is to
provide a wearable display unit that can prevent downward
inclination of an image display unit at the time of using,
headphones that can be fixed to this wearable display unit, and a
system provided with these.
[0017] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the invention
provides a wearable display unit having an image display unit for
displaying an image in front of an eye of a user and the image
display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye. An
embodiment of the unit comprises a display support member that has
a bar shape and is fixed to the image display unit. The unit also
comprises a display support member holding part that holds the
display support member movably between a projecting position where
the image display unit can be positioned in front of the eye of the
user and a retracted position where the image display unit has been
retracted from the front of the eye of the user. The unit also
comprises an anti-rotation means that prevents rotation of the
display support member in relation to the display support member
holding part in a neighborhood of, and including at least, the
projecting position between the projecting position and the
retracted position, with respect to rotation in a direction within
a plane nearly perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the
display support member, even when the display support member is in
a movable state.
[0018] In the wearable display unit, the anti-rotation means can
comprise an anti-rotation-shape part formed, at least in a part of
the display support member, to have an outer peripheral shape of a
cross section having parts whose distances from a center of gravity
in the cross section are different from each other. The cross
section can be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the
display support member. The anti-rotation means also can include an
abutting part that is a part of the display support member holding
part and cannot be rotated in a sense of the rotation, with the
abutting part abutting on the anti-rotation-shape part of the
display support member at least in the neighborhood of the
projecting position.
[0019] In another embodiment the anti-rotation means comprises an
anti-rotation-shape part formed, at least in a part of the display
support member, to have an outer peripheral shape of a cross
section different from a circle, with the cross section being
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the display support
member. The anti-rotation means also comprises an abutting part
that is a part of the display support member holding part and
cannot be rotated in a sense of the rotation, with the abutting
part abutting on the anti-rotation-shape part of the display
support member at least in the neighborhood of the projecting
position.
[0020] The outer peripheral shape of the cross section of the
display support member can be different between on a tip end side
to which the image display unit is fixed and on a base end side
opposite to the tip end side. The base end portion of the display
support member can form the anti-rotation-shape part.
[0021] The outer peripheral shape of the cross section on the tip
end side of the display support member can be a circle.
[0022] The display support member can be formed with a groove
extending in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment the
display support member holding part can have a guide roller that is
in contact with a surface of the display support member, with the
surface being formed with the groove. A part of the display support
member, the part having the groove, can be the anti-rotation-shape
part, wherein the guide roller is the abutting part.
[0023] The display support member holding part can have a driving
source that moves the display support member. In this configuration
a drive transmission part of the driving source is in contact with
the display support member.
[0024] The holding means can be configured to hold the drive
transmission part toward the display support member.
[0025] The display support member can have a shape curved in the
longitudinal direction so that the shape extends along a head of
the user. In this configuration the image display unit can be moved
in a locus corresponding to the curved shape, between the
projecting position and the retracted position.
[0026] The display support member holding part can comprise a
display support member housing that houses the display support
member at the retracted position.
[0027] Another aspect of the invention is directed to wearable
display systems. An embodiment of such a system comprises a
wearable display unit such as any of the configurations summarized
above. The system also includes a head mounting member that is
mounted on a head of a user for holding the head inside of the head
mounting member by an elastic force of the head mounting member.
The wearable display unit can have an attachment that is fixed to
the display support member holding part and that can be coupled to
and removed from a part of the head mounting member.
[0028] Another aspect of the invention is directed to wearable
display units having an image display unit for displaying an image
in front of a user's eye and the image display unit that can be
arranged near the user's eye. An embodiment of such a unit
comprises a display support member that is curved in a shape
extending along a shape of a head and is fixed to the image display
unit. The unit also includes a display support member holding part
that slidably holds the display support member such that the
display support member can move along a locus corresponding to its
curved shape, between a projecting position where the image display
unit can be positioned in front of the eye of the user and a
retracted position where the image display unit has been retracted
from the front of the eye of the user.
[0029] In a wearable display unit according to any of the
configurations summarized above, the image display unit can be
fixed to the display support member such that a visual surface of
the image display unit can swing between a displayable position
where the display screen of the image display unit faces the eye of
the user and a non-displayable position where the display screen is
inclined at an angle larger than or equal to a certain angle with a
line of sight of the user's eye. The wearable display unit can
further comprise a detection means that detects whether the image
display unit is in the displayable position or in the
non-displayable position. The wearable display unit also can
include a driving means that makes the display support member
slide, and a control means that makes the driving means drive the
display support member such that the display support member moves
from the projecting position to the retracted position, when the
detection means detects that the image display unit moves from the
displayable position to the non-displayable position in a state
that the display support member is in the projecting position.
[0030] In another embodiment the wearable display system comprises
a wearable display unit according to any of the configurations
summarized above, and a headphone having a speaker and a headphone
arm connected to the speaker, and that can be mounted on a head.
The wearable display unit can have an attachment that can be
coupled to and removed from the headphone. The wearable display
unit and the headphone can have respective electric connection
parts that can be electrically connected and disconnected from each
other.
[0031] The wearable display unit can have an outside connection
part for receiving at least electric power, an image signal and an
audio signal from the outside. The wearable display unit can be
configured to send at least the audio signal out of the electric
power, the image signal, the audio signal and the like received
through the outside connection part, to the electric connection
part (hereinafter, referred to as a "headphone-side electric
connection part") of the headphone through the electric connection
part (hereinafter, referred to as a "display-side electric
connection part") of the wearable display unit. In that case, the
headphone-side electric connection part may be a headphone cable
having electric contacts at its end.
[0032] The headphone can have an outside connection part for
receiving at least electric power, an image signal and an audio
signal from the outside. The headphone can be configured to send at
least the electric power and the image signal out of the electric
power, the image signal, the audio signal and the like received
through the outside connection part to the electric connection part
(hereinafter, referred to as a "display-side electric connection
part") of the wearable display unit through the electric connection
part (hereinafter, referred to as a "headphone-side electric
connection part") of the headphone. In that case, the display-side
electric connection part may be a display cable having electric
contacts at its end.
[0033] Further, the display-side electric connection part may be
provided in the attachment such that the display-side electric
connection part is connected to the headphone-side electric
connection part when the attachment is coupled to the
headphone.
[0034] In yet another embodiment each of left and right parts of
the headphone can be provided with the headphone-side electric
connection part. The headphone-side electric connection part can
have a plurality of electric contacts arranged in a predetermined
direction. The order of arrangement of the plurality of electric
contacts in the headphone-side electric connection part provided in
one of the left and right parts can be reversed in a vertical
direction from an order of arrangement of the plurality of electric
contacts in the headphone-side electric connection part provided in
the other of the left and right parts, in a state that the
headphone is mounted on the head.
[0035] In yet another, embodiment each of left and right parts of
the headphone can be provided with the headphone-side electric
connection part. The headphone-side electric connection part can
have a plurality of electric contacts arranged in a predetermined
direction. The order of arrangement of the plurality of electric
contacts in the headphone-side electric connection part provided in
one of the left and right parts can be reversed in a horizontal
direction from an order of arrangement of the plurality of electric
contacts in the headphone-side electric connection part provided in
the other of the left and right parts, in a state that the
headphone is mounted on the head and surfaces in which the electric
contacts are arranged are seen from fronts of the surfaces.
[0036] The attachment can relatively move within a certain width in
a certain direction with respect to the headphone to which the
attachment is coupled. At least either the plurality of the
electric contacts in the headphone-side electric connection part or
the plurality of the electric contacts in the display-side
connection part can have a certain width in the certain
direction.
[0037] The attachment of the wearable display unit can have a
coupling means that is deformed to be coupled with a part of the
headphone. In this configuration or in other configurations, the
attachment of the wearable display unit can be coupled to and
removed from a part of the speaker on a side opposite to a side
contacting with the head. The part of the speaker can be provided
with the electric contacts of the headphone-side electric
connection part, and the attachment can be provided with the
electric contacts of the display-side electric connection part. The
electric contacts can be connected to the electric contacts of the
headphone-side electric connection part when the attachment is
coupled to the part. The attachment can be provided with a circuit
that processes the image signal and sends the processed image
signal to the image display unit.
[0038] In another embodiment the headphone has a pair of speakers
as the speaker, and the headphone arm connects the pair of speaker
with each other. Each of the pair of speakers can be formed with a
coupling portion to which the attachment can be coupled. The
wearable display system further can comprise an external member
that is coupled to the coupling portion of one speaker of the pair
of speakers to cover the coupling portion, when the other speaker
is coupled with the attachment at the coupling portion of that
speaker. In this and other configurations the attachment can be
formed with a hollow portion on a side of a speaker when the
attachment is coupled to the speaker. The external member can be
formed with a hollow portion at a position corresponding to the
hollow portion of the attachment, with the hollow portion formed in
the external member having the same shape and size as ones of the
hollow portion of the attachment.
[0039] In yet another embodiment the display support member holding
part is coupled to the attachment in a relatively rotatable
manner.
[0040] At least a part of the coupling means may be made of an
elastic material so that the coupling means is elastically deformed
to grasp the headphone arm of the headphone or to be coupled into
the speaker of the headphone. Further, the coupling means may
comprise first and second grasping members for sandwiching a part
of the headphone arm from both sides, and a pressing member that
presses the second grasping member toward the first member. When
the coupling means is deformed as a result of movement of the
second grasping member, a part of the headphone arm is grasped
between the first grasping member and the second grasping member.
In this configuration the coupling means may have a groove member
having a pair of side walls that are opposed to each other. One of
the side wails of the groove member becomes the first grasping
member. A screw member that is screwed and coupled into the other
side wall of the groove member becomes the pressing member.
Alternatively, an elastic member fixed to the other side wall may
become the pressing member. The second grasping member may be fixed
to the tip end of the screw member or the elastic member.
[0041] Further, in any of the above-summarized wearable display
units, some portion in a part ranging from the attachment to the
display support member holding part may be formed with a clearance
part that extends in a direction including a directional component
receding from a headphone speaker connected to the headphone arm,
so that the display support member holding part keeps away from the
headphone speaker when the attachment is coupled to the headphone
arm.
[0042] Further, any of the above-summarized wearable display units
may further comprise a display unit displacement means that changes
the position and/or the direction of the image display unit in
relation to the attachment.
[0043] Further, in any of the above-summarized wearable display
units, it is desirable that at least the external shape of the
image display unit is symmetrical in the up-down direction in a
state that the attachment is coupled to the headphone arm.
[0044] Further, any of the above-summarized wearable display units
may further comprise a detection means that detects whether the
attachment has been coupled to the side of the right ear or the
side of the left ear of the headphone arm. The unit may further
comprise a display control means that turns an output image upside
down based on a detection result of the detection means. When the
fixing position of the attachment is changed, the top and the
bottom of the image display unit are reversed accordingly. Thus, as
this detection means, a gravity sensor may be used that detects
up-and-down inversion. Or, in the case where the attachment is
provided with the electric contacts of the display-side electric
connection part, an electric current sensor may be used as the
detection means. Here, the electric current sensor detects whether
these electric contacts in the attachment are electrically
connected with the electric contacts of the headphone-side electric
connection on one of the left and right sides of the headphone.
[0045] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit further
comprises an attachment that is provided in the display support
member holding part and that can be coupled to and removed from the
headphone. An electric connection part is provided in the
attachment and connected to electric contacts provided in the
headphone when the attachment is coupled to the headphone.
[0046] The attachment can be provided with a display unit
displacement means that can change a position and/or a direction of
the image display unit in relation to the attachment. In this
configuration the electric connection part has lead wires, and lead
wires of the electric connection part are arranged in the
attachment and the display unit displacement means.
[0047] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit further
comprises an attachment that can be coupled to and removed from a
speaker of a headphone. An electric connection part can be included
that can be electrically connected to and disconnected from a
circuit provided in the headphone.
[0048] According to another aspect of the invention, headphones are
provided. An embodiment comprises a pair of speakers and a
headphone arm connecting the pair of speakers with each other. The
embodiment further comprises electric connection parts provided in
respective portions of the pair of speakers of the headphone arm.
Each of the electric connection parts can be electrically connected
to a wearable display unit having an image display unit for
displaying an image in front of an eye of a user. The image display
of which can be arranged near a user's eye, in such a manner that
the electric connection can be disconnected.
[0049] The headphone arm can be formed with coupling portions at
respective portions on sides of the pair of speakers, wherein the
display unit can be coupled to and removed from each coupling
portion. Each of the coupling portions can be provided with
electric contacts of the electric connection that are connected to
electric contacts provided in the wearable display unit when the
wearable display unit is coupled to the coupling portion in
question.
[0050] Another aspect of the invention is directed to headphones
that comprise a speaker and a headphone arm connected with the
speaker. In an embodiment the speaker is formed with a coupling
portion to which a wearable display unit having an image display
unit for displaying an image can be coupled in a removable manner.
The coupling portion can be provided with an electric connection
part that can be electrically connected to and disconnected from a
circuit provided in the wearable display unit.
[0051] An auxiliary holding part can be provided at a position of
the display support member or a position of the display support
member holding part such that the auxiliary holding part is outside
a field of vision of the user when a center of the field of vision
is in a visual surface of the image display unit and the auxiliary
holding part presses against the user's head. A pressing force
generation means can be included that uses an elastic force and/or
an electromagnetic force to generate a pressing force at the
auxiliary holding part for pressing against the user's head.
[0052] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit can further
comprise an auxiliary holding part that is provided in the display
support member or the display support member holding part, in a
neighborhood of a temporal part of the head on which the wearable
display unit is mounted. The auxiliary holding part can be
configured to press against the temporal part.
[0053] The wearable display unit further can comprises a pressing
force generation means that uses an elastic force and/or an
electromagnetic force to generate a pressing force at the auxiliary
holding part for pressing against the user's head. The auxiliary
holding part can be provided in such a manner that the auxiliary
holding part can be displaced between a pressing position where the
auxiliary holding part can press against the head and a retracted
position where the auxiliary holding part cannot press against the
head. The wearable display unit can further comprise a pressing
force detection means that detects a level of a pressing force that
the auxiliary holding part at the pressing position applies to the
head. The pressing force generation means can be configured to
control the pressing force such that the level detected by the
pressing force detection means is kept within a predetermined
range.
[0054] The display support member holding part can comprise a
display support member housing part that houses the display support
member. The display support member housing part can be configured
to hold the display support member slidably between a projecting
position where the image display unit is held in front of an eye of
a user and a housed position where at least a part of the display
support member retracted from the front of the eye of the user is
housed in the display support member housing part. The auxiliary
holding part can be configured to be at the retracted position when
the display support member is at the housed position. The auxiliary
holding part can be at the pressing position when the display
support member is at the projecting position.
[0055] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit further
comprises an attachment for fixing the display support member
holding part to the head mounting member that is to be mounted on
the user's head. The embodiment further includes an inclination
adjustment means, configured to adjust an inclination of the
display support member to the attachment, within a plane including
a direction of action of the pressing force and the attachment. The
inclination adjustment means can comprise a projection length
adjustment means that adjusts a length of projection of the
auxiliary holding part with respect to the display support member
or the display support member holding part.
[0056] The inclination adjustment means can comprise a distance
adjustment means that adjusts a distance from the attachment to the
display support member holding part at a portion connecting the
attachment and the display support member holding part.
[0057] The pressing force generation means can be arranged in the
attachment or in a neighborhood of the attachment, to generate a
force that makes a side of the image display unit of the display
support member incline toward a direction of action of the pressing
force.
[0058] The wearable display unit according to any of various
embodiments can further comprise a joint that fixes the display
support member holding part to the attachment in such a manner that
the display support member holding part can swing in a plane
including a direction of action of the pressing force and the
attachment.
[0059] In yet another embodiment of a wearable display unit the
wearable display unit further comprises an attachment that is fixed
to a head mounting member that is mounted on a head of the user.
The unit further comprises a joint part that fixes the display
support member holding part to the attachment in such a manner that
the display support member can swing in relation to the attachment,
around a plurality of virtual axes having different directions from
one another. In the joint part, the torque required for swinging
around at least one virtual axis among the plurality of virtual
axes can be different from the torque required for swinging around
an of the other virtual axes. Here, the "virtual axis" conceptually
includes not only an axis as a center of rotation of a joint
structure that has an actual axis but also a center of rotation of
a joint structure that does not have an actual axis.
[0060] The joint portion can comprise a first joint portion that
holds the display support member holding part on the attachment
such that the display support member can swing in relation to the
attachment around a first virtual axis among the plurality of
virtual axes. The joint portion can further include a second joint
portion that holds the display support member holding part on the
attachment such that the display support member can swing in
relation to the attachment around a second virtual axis
perpendicular to the first virtual axis.
[0061] The first joint part can comprise a base-side member that is
fixed to or formed integrally with the attachment and a swing-side
member that is fixed to the base-side member in such a way that the
swing-side member can relatively rotate in relation to the
base-side member around the first virtual axis. The second joint
part can comprise a swing-side member that is fixed to or formed
integrally with the display support member holding part and a
base-side member that is fixed to the swing-side member in such a
way that the base-side member can relatively rotate in relation to
the swing-side member around the second virtual axis. In that case,
it is favorable that the swing-side member of the first joint part
and the base-side member of the second joint part be made of the
same material.
[0062] One of the plurality of virtual axes can be a virtual axis
around which the image display unit fixed to the display support
member swings in a direction including a vertical direction in a
state that the head mounting member is mounted on a head of the
user and the attachment is coupled to the head mounting member. The
torque required for swinging around the virtual axis in question
desirably is larger than the torque required for swinging around
the other virtual axes of the plurality of virtual axes.
[0063] In a device described in Patent Document 1, a part of the
signal cables of the display device unit is fixed to the head
mounting belt, and the fixing position of the display device unit
on the head mounting belt can be changed. However, in a case in
which the head mounting belt has the same function as a headphone,
the wiring cables hang from the head mounting belt (i.e. the
headphone) and wiring cables hang from the display device unit
also. Thus, it is not convenient to use the head mounting belt.
This problem is solved by any of various embodiments of a wearable
display system as summarized above. An exemplary embodiment
comprises a headphone that can be mounted on a head and that
comprises a speaker and a headphone arm connected with the speaker.
The embodiment includes a wearable display unit that comprises an
image display unit, which can be arranged near a user's eye, and
can be coupled to the headphone. The wearable display unit has an
attachment that can be coupled to and removed from the headphone.
The wearable display unit and the headphone have respective
electric connection parts that can be electrically connected and
disconnected with and from each other.
[0064] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit includes an
image display unit that can be arranged near a user's eye and that
displays an image in front of a user's eye. The wearable display
unit further comprises an attachment that can be coupled to and
removed from a headphone. The unit further comprises a holding part
that connects the image display unit to the attachment. An electric
connection part is provided in the attachment, with the electric
connection part being connected to electric contacts provided in
the headphone whenever the attachment is coupled to the
headphone.
[0065] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit includes an
image display unit that can be arranged near a user's eye and that
displays an image. The unit comprises an attachment that can be
coupled to and removed from a speaker of a headphone that can be
mounted on a head. An electric connection part is provided that can
be electrically connected to and disconnected from a circuit
provided in the headphone.
[0066] In a device described in Patent Document 2, the anti-swing
member interrupts a part of a center of the field of vision of a
user's eye when the user's eye views an image of the image display
unit. Consequently, visibility of surroundings sometimes becomes
worse. In view of these shortcomings, an embodiment of a wearable
display unit is provided herein that displays an image in front of
an eye of a user. The unit comprises an image display unit that
displays an image. A holding part is provided that can hold the
image display unit at a position in front of the eye of the user.
An attachment is used for fixing the holding part to a head
mounting member that is mounted on the head of the user. An
auxiliary holding part is provided on the holding part at a
position that is outside a field of vision of the user when a
center of the field of vision of the user lies within a visual
surface of the image display unit, with the auxiliary holding part
being pressed against the user's head. The unit further comprises a
pressing force generation means that uses an elastic force and/or
an electromagnetic force to generate a pressing force at the
auxiliary holding part so that the auxiliary holding part presses
against the head.
[0067] Another embodiment of a wearable display unit comprises an
image display unit that displays an image, and a holding part that
can hold the image display unit at a position in front of the eye
of the user. An attachment is provided that fixes the holding part
to a head mounting member that is mounted on the user's head. An
auxiliary holding part is provided on the holding part in a
neighborhood of a temporal part of the head on which the head
mounting member is mounted, with the auxiliary holding part
pressing against the temporal part.
[0068] In a device as described in Patent Document 3, swinging of
the image display unit in the vertical direction and in the
horizontal direction is realized by means of a spherical seat
provided in a connection part between the display support member
and the coupling portion. Thus, swinging in any direction requires
the same torque. As a result, if the torque required for swinging
in the horizontal direction is made smaller so that a smaller force
can produce swinging in the horizontal direction, the torque
required for swinging in the vertical direction becomes smaller at
the same time. As a result, sometimes the image display unit moves
downward automatically owing to its own weight. On the other hand,
if the torque required for vertical swinging is made larger, the
torque required for horizontal swinging becomes larger at the same
time. As a result, it becomes difficult to adjust the position
horizontally. Thus, with a device as disclosed in Patent Document
3, difficult operation is required for adjusting the position of
the image display unit. To solve this problem, an embodiment of a
wearable display unit is provided that has an image display unit
for displaying an image in front of an eye of a user and that can
be arranged near a user's eye. The wearable display unit comprises
an attachment to be coupled to a head mounting member that is
mounted on a head of the user. The unit also includes a holding
part having one end fixed to the image display unit while the other
end of the holding part extends to a position opposed to the
attachment. The unit also comprises a joint part that fixes the
holding part to the attachment such that the holding part can swing
relatively to the attachment around a plurality of virtual axes
extending in respective directions different from one another. In
the joint part, the torque required for swinging around at least
one virtual axis among the plurality of virtual axes is different
from the torque required for swinging around the other virtual
axes.
[0069] In various embodiments as described herein, anti-rotation
means is provided. As a result, even in a state in which the
display support member can move in the neighborhood of the
projecting position, it is possible to prevent rotation of the
display support member in relation to the display support member
holding part with respect to rotation whose direction is within a
plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the display
support member.
[0070] Further, one cable can be used for supplying an audio signal
supplied to a headphone and an image signal supplied to the
wearable display unit, thereby improving the usability of the
wearable display system.
[0071] Further, various embodiments can provide a wearable display
unit that can suppress vibration of the image display unit is
suppressed without damaging visibility of surroundings. In various
embodiments, in the joint part for fixing the holding part of the
image display unit swingably to the attachment, the torque required
for swinging around one virtual axis among a plurality of virtual
axes is different from the torque required for swinging around the
other virtual axes. Thus, automatic displacement of the image
display unit can be prevented, and the position of the image
display unit can be adjusted by easy operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0072] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit of a first embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0073] FIG. 2 is a partially-cutaway plan view showing main parts
of the wearable display system (in a state of a projecting
position) of the first embodiment;
[0074] FIG. 3 is a partially-cutaway plan view showing the main
parts of the wearable display system (in a state of a retracted
position) of the first embodiment;
[0075] FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the C-C line in FIG.
2;
[0076] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along the D-D line in FIG.
2;
[0077] FIG. 6 is a cross section showing an attachment of the
wearable display unit of the first embodiment;
[0078] FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0079] FIG. 8 is a cross section showing a first variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0080] FIG. 9 is a cross section showing a second variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0081] FIG. 10 is a cross section showing a third variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0082] FIG. 11 is an explanatory view for explaining difference in
working methods according to a position of a groove to be formed in
a curved bar-shaped member;
[0083] FIG. 12 is a cross section showing a fourth variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0084] FIG. 13 is a cross section showing a fifth variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0085] FIG. 14 is a cross section showing a sixth variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment;
[0086] FIG. 15 is a cross section showing the sixth variant of the
display support member and its holding part of the wearable display
unit of the first embodiment, FIG. 15A being a cross section
showing the display support member and a slide shoe seen along the
A-A line in FIG. 14, and FIG. 15B a cross section showing the
display support member and the slide shoe seen along the B-B line
in FIG. 14.
[0087] FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a seventh variant of
the display support member and its holding part of the wearable
display unit of the first embodiment;
[0088] FIG. 17 is a cross section showing the seventh variant of
the display support member and its holding part of the wearable
display unit of the first embodiment, FIG. 17A being a cross
section showing the display support member and a slide shoe seen
along the A-A line in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17B a cross section showing
the display support member and the slide shoe seen along the B-B
line in FIG. 16;
[0089] FIG. 18 is a cross section showing a variant of the display
support member and its driving part of the wearable display unit of
the first embodiment;
[0090] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having a image display unit (in a coupled state) of a second
embodiment, the image display unit of which can be arranged near a
user's eye;
[0091] FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the wearable display
system (in a non-coupled state) of the second embodiment;
[0092] FIG. 21 is a cross section taken along the III-III line in
FIG. 19;
[0093] FIG. 22 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
system of the second embodiment;
[0094] FIG. 23 is a cross section showing a first variant of an
attachment of the wearable display system of the second
embodiment;
[0095] FIG. 24 is a cross section showing a second variant of the
attachment of the wearable display system of the second
embodiment;
[0096] FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a variant of
headphones of the wearable display system of the second
embodiment;
[0097] FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit (in a coupled state) of a third
embodiment, the image display unit of which can be arranged near a
user's eye;
[0098] FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing the wearable display
system (in a non-coupled state) of the third embodiment;
[0099] FIG. 28 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
system of the third embodiment;
[0100] FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit (in a non-coupled state) of a
fourth embodiment, the image display unit of which can be arranged
near a user's eye;
[0101] FIG. 30 is a cross section showing main parts of the
wearable display system of the fourth embodiment;
[0102] FIG. 31 is a cross section showing an attachment of the
wearable display system of the fourth embodiment;
[0103] FIG. 32 is an explanatory view showing arrangement of
electric contacts in coupling portions on the left and right sides
of the wearable display system of the fourth embodiment;
[0104] FIG. 33 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
system of the fourth embodiment;
[0105] FIG. 34 is a cross section showing a displacement mechanism
of the wearable display system of the fourth embodiment;
[0106] FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit of a fifth embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0107] FIG. 36 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
system of the fifth embodiment;
[0108] FIG. 37 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit of a sixth embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0109] FIG. 38 is a cross section showing a speaker, an attachment
and a displacement mechanism of the wearable display system of the
sixth embodiment;
[0110] FIG. 39 is a cross section showing a speaker and an outer
cap of the wearable display system of the sixth embodiment;
[0111] FIG. 40 is a cross section showing a speaker and an
attachment of a variant of the wearable display system of the sixth
embodiment;
[0112] FIG. 41 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit of a seventh embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0113] FIG. 42 is a cutaway plan view showing main parts of the
wearable display system of the seventh embodiment;
[0114] FIG. 43 is an explanatory view for explaining a driving
mechanism of an auxiliary holding part of the wearable display
system of the seventh embodiment;
[0115] FIG. 44 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
system having an image display unit of the seventh embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0116] FIG. 45 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit (in a state of a projecting
position) of an eighth embodiment, the image display unit of which
can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0117] FIG. 46 is a perspective view showing the wearable display
system (in a state of a housed position) of the eighth
embodiment;
[0118] FIG. 47 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit (in a state of a projecting
position) of a ninth embodiment, the image display unit of which
can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0119] FIG. 48 is a perspective view showing an auxiliary holding
part of the wearable display system of the ninth embodiment;
[0120] FIG. 49 is a perspective view showing a first variant of the
wearable display system of the ninth embodiment;
[0121] FIG. 50 is a perspective view showing a second variant of
the wearable display system of the ninth embodiment;
[0122] FIG. 51 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
system having an image display unit of a tenth embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0123] FIG. 52 is a cutaway plan view showing main parts of the
wearable display system of the tenth embodiment;
[0124] FIG. 53 is a cross section taken along the A-A line in FIG.
12;
[0125] FIG. 54 is a perspective view showing a distance adjusting
member of the wearable display system of the tenth embodiment;
[0126] FIG. 55 is a perspective view showing a wearable display
unit having an image display unit of an eleventh embodiment, the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye;
[0127] FIG. 56 is a cutaway plan view showing main parts of the
wearable display unit of the eleventh embodiment;
[0128] FIG. 57 is a cross section taken along the A-A line in FIG.
56; and
[0129] FIG. 58 is a cross section showing a variant of a joint part
of the wearable display unit of the eleventh embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0130] Various embodiments of the wearable display system will be
described.
First Embodiment
[0131] In the beginning, will be described a first embodiment of a
wearable display system having an image display unit, the image
display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye.
[0132] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the wearable display system of the
present embodiment comprises: headphones 10 that can be mounted on
the head H of a user; and a wearable display unit 20 that is fixed
to the headphones 10. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the
wearable display system of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a
cutaway plan view showing main parts of the wearable display system
(in a state of a projecting position). And, FIG. 3 is a cutaway
plan view showing the main parts of the wearable display system (in
a state of a retracted position).
[0133] The headphones 10 of this wearable display system comprises:
left and right speakers 11L and 11R; and an arm 12 that connects
the left and right speakers 11L and 11R with each other. Both end
portions of the arm 12 are curved such that these end portions can
be placed on the left and right ears of the user. Thus, these end
portions form earpieces 13L and 13R. The headphones 10 are rear-arm
type headphones whose arm 12 is positioned around the back of the
head of a user.
[0134] The wearable display unit 20 comprises: an image display
unit 21 that displays an image in front of a user's eye; a display
support member 27 that fixes the image display unit 21 at its end
portion; an display support member holding part 30 that supports
the display support member 27 slidably; and an attachment 40 that
fixes the display support member holding part to the headphone arm
12.
[0135] The display support member 27 has a bar shape curved
smoothly at a radius of curvature R. When the wearable display unit
20 is mounted on the head H of the user, the center of curvature of
the display support member 27 lies inside the head H. This display
support member 27 is supported by the display support member
holding part 30 such that the image display unit 21 can move
between a retracted position d (FIG. 3) and a projecting position c
(FIGS. 1 and 2) along a locus B corresponding to the curved shape
of the display support member 27. At the retracted position d, the
display support member 27 is housed in the display support member
holding part 30. And, at the projecting position c, the display
support member 27 projects from the display support member holding
part 30 and the image display unit 21 can display an image in front
of a user's eye. Further, the image display unit 21 is fixed at the
end portion of the display support member 27 in such a way that the
display unit 21 can swing in the direction of the arrow A between a
displayable position a where a visual surface of the image display
unit 21 faces a user's eye and non-displayable position b where the
display screen is inclined at a angle larger than or equal to a
certain angle with the line of sight of the user's eye. The length
of the display support member 27 is determined such that the
display screen of the image display unit 21 can be at a distance of
20 mm or more from the user's eye when the image display unit 21 is
at the displayable position. Here, the distance of 20 mm or more is
determined considering the case where a user uses a pair of
glasses. Thus, since the display support member 27 has the curved
shape and the image display unit 21 can move depicting the locus B
corresponding to the curved shape, the image display unit 21 can
move safely without interfering with the head.
[0136] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the image display unit 21
comprises: a display device 22; an optical system 23 for leading an
image displayed by the display device 22 to a user's eye; a display
unit position detection sensor 24 for detecting whether the image
display unit 21 is in the above-mentioned displayable position or
in the non-displayable position; and a display unit housing 25 that
houses these components. The display unit housing 25 is formed with
a fixing member 26 that is fixed to the end portion of the display
support member 27. The display unit position detection sensor 24 is
an optical sensor and detects whether the image display unit 21 is
in the displayable position or the non-displayable position based
on a change of a relative position of the display support member 27
within the display unit housing 25.
[0137] The display support member holding part 30 comprises: a
display support member housing 31 formed with an internal space
that can house the display support member 27; guide rollers 34a and
34b that can support the display support member 27 slidably; a
driving roller 35a that makes the display support member 27 slide;
an display support member driving motor 35b that makes the driving
roller 35a rotate; a retraction detection sensor 37a that detects
whether the display support member 27 is in the above-mentioned
retracted position d or not; a projection detection sensor 37b that
detects whether the display support member 27 is in the
above-mentioned projecting position c or not; and an display
support member drive switch 36 for instructing operation of the
display support member driving motor 35b.
[0138] The internal space of the display support member housing 31
is curved correspondingly to the curved shape of the display
support member 27. In one end (hereinafter, referred to as a
forward end) of the display support member housing 31, there is
formed a display support member insertion hole 32 through which the
display support member 27 enters and exits the display support
member housing 31. And, in the other end (hereinafter, referred to
as a rear end) of the display support member housing 31, there is
formed a clearance part 33. The clearance part 33 is a part that
extends in a direction for keeping away from the headphone arm 12
so as to prevent interference between the speaker 11L or 11R of the
headphones 10 and the display support member housing 31 when the
attachment 40 is coupled to the headphone arm 12. In the
neighborhood of the display support member insertion hole 32 of the
display support member housing 31, a pair of guide rollers 34a, 34b
is provided in each of two places along a moving path B of the
display support member 27. Between the guide rollers 34a on the
forward end side and the guide rollers 34b on the rear end side,
the driving roller 35a is provided on the inner side of the curved
display support member 27, i.e. on the side of the user's head.
[0139] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the shape of the outer periphery
of the display support member 27 in a cross section perpendicular
to its longitudinal direction has parts of different distances from
the center of gravity of the cross section. In other words, that
shape is not a circle. Or, in more concrete terms, the shape is
nearly circular, but formed with grooves 28a and 28b on the inner
side and the outer side (i.e. the other side) of the curved display
support member 27 respectively, to form anti-rotation-shape parts.
Thus, the shape of the cross section of the display support member
27 is not circular in order to prevent rotation around its
longitudinal axis. The grooves 28a and 28b on the internal and
outer sides of the display support member 27 extend in the
longitudinal direction of the display support member 27. Here, FIG.
4 shows the cross section taken along the C-C line in FIG. 2, and
FIG. 5 the cross section taken along the D-D line in FIG. 2.
[0140] As shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned pair of guide
rollers 34a, 34a (34b, 34b) is in contact with the insides of the
grooves 28a and 28b (i.e. the anti-rotation-shape parts) of the
display support member 27 and thus becomes abutting parts that abut
on the anti-rotation-shape parts. Each guide roller 34a (34b) is
rotatably mounted on a roller shaft 34c provided in the display
support member housing 31. Further, the above-mentioned driving
roller 35a also is in contact with the bottom of the groove 28a on
the inner side of the display support member 27, as shown in FIG.
5. The driving roller 35a is mounted on a driving shaft of the
display support member driving motor 35b fixed within the display
support member housing 31. Thus, by arranging the driving roller
35a and the display support member driving motor 35b on the inner
side of the display support member 27, the heavy component is
positioned near to the head of a user as shown in FIG. 2. This can
improve stability at the time of movement of the head and reduce
extension of the display support member housing 31 toward the outer
side of the display support member, i.e. in the direction of
getting away from the head.
[0141] As shown in FIG. 6A, the attachment 40 is made of an elastic
material such as resin and is formed to have a C-shaped cross
section. A space d of the opening of the C-shape is slightly larger
than the minor axis r2 of the headphone arm 12 whose cross section
is an ellipse, although smaller than the major axis r1 of the
headphone arm 12. Thus, the headphone arm 12 can be easily put into
the attachment 40 by making the minor axis r2 of the headphone arm
12 vertical and thereafter by bringing the headphone arm 12 close
to the opening of the attachment 40 in the X direction shown in the
figure. Then, by relatively rotating the headphone arm 12 through
90 degrees, the headphone arm 12 is completely fitted in the
attachment 40 as shown in FIG. 6B. At that time, the attachment 40
is elastically deformed to be slightly widened, and thus the
attachment 40 grasps the headphone arm 12 tightly. As a result, the
wearable display unit 20 has been fixed to the headphone arm
12.
[0142] Thus, according to the present embodiment, the wearable
display unit 20 can be fixed to the headphone arm 12 by simply
grasping the headphone arm 12. As a result, the wearable display
unit 20 can be used in many different ways. Further, in the present
embodiment, the attachment 40 grasps the headphone arm 12 by its
elastic deformation, and can adapt to a headphone arm 12 having a
slightly different cross section. Further, the headphones 10 do not
have a special fixing structure for the wearable display unit, and
thus the beauty of the headphones is improved when it is used as a
single item.
[0143] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the clearance part 33 of the
display support member housing 31 is provided with a displacement
mechanism 50. The displacement mechanism 50 is provided for
changing the position and direction of the image display unit 21
relatively to the attachment 40. The displacement mechanism 50
comprises a ball 51 provided in the attachment 40 and a ball socket
52 formed in the clearance part 33 of the display support member
housing 31. Frictional force larger than a certain magnitude acts
between the ball 51 and the ball socket 52. Thus, the ball socket
52 can not rotate relatively to the ball 51 unless turning force
larger than a certain magnitude acts on the ball socket 52 in
relation to the ball 51.
[0144] Since the displacement mechanism comprises the ball 51 and
the ball socket 52 as described above, the display support member
holding part 30, the display support member 27 held by the display
support member holding part 30 and the image display unit 21 fixed
to the display support member 27 can be displaced around each of
three independent axes in the three-dimensional space.
[0145] This displacement mechanism 50 may be provided between the
display support member holding part 30 and the image display unit
21, or may be provided in the display support member holding part
30. However, the displacement mechanism 50 has its own weight. And,
it is favorable to provide the displacement mechanism 50 between
the attachment 40 and the display support member holding part 30 as
in the present embodiment, in order to reduce the moment around the
attachment 40 as far as possible. Further, in the present
embodiment, the ball 50 is formed on the side of the attachment 40.
It needless to say, however, that the ball 50 can be formed on the
side of the display support member housing 31 and the ball socket
52 on the side of the attachment 40.
[0146] FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram showing the present
wearable display system.
[0147] The display support member housing 31 of the display support
member holding part 30 is provided with the driving roller 35a, the
display support member driving motor 35b, the retraction detection
sensor 37a, the projection detection sensor 37b, the display
support member drive switch 36, and in addition, a control system
38 and an image processing system 39. The control system 38
controls the display support member driving motor 35b based on
signals from the various sensors 24, 37a and 37b and the display
support member drive switch 36. The image processing system 39
sends an image signal to the display device 22 of the image display
unit 21 based on a signal from an external controller C.
[0148] It is possible that the external controller C sends an audio
signal to the headphones 10 through the wearable display unit 20.
Or, reversely, it is possible that the external controller C sends
the image signal, a control signal and the like in addition to the
audio signal to the headphones 10 and the headphones 10 in turn
sends the image signal, the control signal and the like among those
signals to the wearable display unit 20. In the case where all the
signals are sent to one of the headphones 10 and the wearable
display unit 20 and then signals required for the other component
are sent from the component that has received all the signals, it
is necessary that both components are provided with respective
electric connection parts that can be disconnected, in order to
connect both electrically.
[0149] Next, will be described manipulation and associated
operation of the wearable display unit 20 in the present
embodiment.
[0150] First, the attachment 40 of the wearable display unit 20 is
coupled to the headphone arm 12 as described above. Then, the
headphones 10 fixed with the wearable display unit 20 are mounted
on the head. At that time, as shown in FIG. 3, the image display
unit 21 of the wearable display unit 20 is positioned in the
non-displayable position b and the display support member 27 is in
the retracted position d.
[0151] Next, when the display support member drive switch 36 of the
wearable display unit 20 is pushed, the control system 38 detects
an ON/OFF state of the display support member drive switch 36 and
outputs a display support member drive control signal to the
display support member driving motor 35b so that the display
support member driving motor 35b starts driving the display support
member 27 to project. At that time, the display support member 27
and the image display unit 21 move along the locus B corresponding
to the curved shape of the display support member 27. When the
display support member 27 reaches the projecting position c, the
projection detection sensor 37b detects this and informs the
control system 38 of this fact. Then, a projection off signal sent
from the control system 38 stops the display support member driving
motor 35b, and the display support member 27 stops at the
projecting position c.
[0152] When the image display unit 21 is manually moved from the
non-displayable position b to the displayable position a as shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a state where the display support member 27 is
in the projecting position c, the display unit position detection
sensor 24 detects this change of position and informs the control
system 38 of this fact. The control system 38 informs the external
controller C of the fact that the image display unit 21 reaches the
displayable position. Then, the external controller C knows that
the wearable display unit 20 is ready to send the image signal.
When a play button of the external controller C is pushed in this
state, the external controller C sends the image signal to the
image processing system 39. The image processing system 39 in turn
sends the image signal to the display device of the image display
unit 21 to reproduce an image based on the image signal. Here,
instead of pushing the display support member drive switch 36 at
the beginning, it may be arranged as follows. Namely, when the play
button of the external controller C is pushed, the external
controller C sends the display support member drive control signal
to the control system 38 to carry out the above-mentioned series of
operations.
[0153] To stop the reproduction of the image, the image display
unit 21 is manually moved from the displayable position a to the
non-displayable position b. Then, the display unit position
detection sensor 24 detects this change of position, and informs
the control system 38 of this change. The control system 38 informs
the external controller C of the fact that the image display unit
21 reaches the non-displayable position b to stop sending of the
image signal from the external controller C.
[0154] Next, when the display support member drive switch 36 of the
wearable display unit 20 is pushed, the control system 38 detects
an ON/OFF state of the display support member drive switch 36 and
outputs the display support member drive control signal to the
display support member driving motor 35b so that the display
support member driving motor 35b starts driving the display support
member 27 to retract. In this retraction process, the display
support member 27 moves along the locus B corresponding to its own
curved shape. When the display support member 27 reaches the
retracted position d, the retraction detection sensor 37a detects
this and informs the control system 38 of this fact. Then, a
retraction off signal sent from the control system 38 stops the
display support member driving motor 35b, and the display support
member 27 stops at the retracted position d.
[0155] Thus, in the present embodiment, the display support member
27 and the image display unit 21 move along the locus corresponding
to the curved shape of the display support member 27. As a result,
the display support member 27 and the image display unit 21 move
along the head of a user, and it is possible to suppress the
distance between these components and the user's head to the
minimum distance that does not cause interference with the user's
head. This reduces the possibility that the image display unit 21
and the like touch other things even when the user's head moves
during movement of the image display unit 21 and the display
support member 27.
[0156] Further, in the present embodiment, when the image display
unit 21 does not display an image, the display support member 27 is
at the retracted position where the display support member 27 is
housed in the display support member housing 31. This reduces the
moment of the wearable display unit 20 around the attachment 40
that is coupled to the headphone arm 12 as a head mounting belt. As
a result, it is possible to reduce swinging of the wearable display
unit 20 even if the user's head moves in a state that the image
display unit 21 is retracted and the user's field of vision is
ensured. This improves comfortableness of the mounted wearable
display unit 20.
[0157] Further, in the present embodiment, the groove 28a is formed
in the display support member 27 and the guide rollers 34a and 34b
and the driving roller 35a are made to be in contact with the
bottom of the groove 28a. This prevents rotation of the display
support member 27 around its longitudinal axis whether the display
support member 27 is moving or not.
[0158] Next, referring to FIGS. 8-17, will be described various
variants of the anti-rotation-shape parts of the above-described
wearable display unit 20 as well as various variants of the
abutting parts that abut on the anti-rotation-shape parts. FIGS.
8-10, 12 and 13 are cross sections at the respective positions that
correspond to the cross section at the C-C line in FIG. 2. Further,
FIG. 11 is an explanatory view for illustrating difference in
working methods according to a position of a groove to be formed in
a curved bar-shaped member.
[0159] In a first variant, the shape of cross section of the
display support member 27a is almost rectangular and a groove is
formed in one side of the display support member 27a. A guide
roller 34a on the inner side of the display support member 27a is
in contact with the inside of the groove 28a formed in one side of
the display support member 27a, and a guide roller 34a on the outer
side is in contact with the other side of the display support
member 27a. Thus, in the case of the display support member 27a
having the cross section of the almost rectangular shape also, it
is possible to prevent rotation of the display support member 27a
around its longitudinal axis. Further, even if the groove is formed
only in the inner side of the display support member 27a, it is
possible to control rotation of the display support member 27a as
well as its movement in a direction other than the longitudinal
direction, as long as the guide roller 34a enters the groove 28a on
the inner side.
[0160] In this variant and the above-described embodiment, the
groove(s) of the display support member is (are) formed in the
inner side or (and) the outer side, i.e. the left or (and) right
side(s) of the display support member 27, 27a. However, basically
same effects can be obtained when grooves of the display support
member are formed instead in the top and/or the bottom of the
display support member 27, 27a.
[0161] However, when a groove is formed in a curved bar-shaped
member by means of a disk-shaped working tool W1, W2 as shown in
FIG. 11, a groove G1 can be formed without changing the direction
of the rotation axis of the disk-shaped working tool W1 in the case
where the groove G1 is to be formed on the inner side and/or the
outer side of the curved bar-shaped member. On the other hand, when
a groove G2 is to be formed on a side perpendicular to the inner
side-outer side direction of the curved bar-shaped member, the
direction of the rotation axis of the disk-shaped working tool W2
should be changed successively as the working tool W2 moves. Thus,
from the viewpoint of groove working, it is favorable to form the
groove(s) on the inner side and/or the outer side of the curved
display support member.
[0162] Second and third embodiments are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10
respectively, and, in these embodiments, the cross section of each
display support member 27b, 27c has the shape of a rectangle or
two-tiered vertical and horizontal rectangles in which no groove is
formed. These variants also can prevent rotation of the display
support member 27b, 27c around its longitudinal axis as in the
above embodiment and the first variant. However, these second and
third variants do not have a groove differently from the above
embodiment and the first variant. Accordingly, to control movement
of the display support member 27b, 27c in the up-and-down
direction, i.e. the direction perpendicular to the inner side-outer
side direction, it is necessary to provide a guide roller 34c at a
position in the up-and-down direction.
[0163] Fourth and fifth variants are shown in FIGS. 12 and 13
respectively. Each display support member 27c, 27d of these
variants has a cross section of a circle-on-circle shape. In
detail, a cross section of the display support member 27 of the
fourth variant has a shape of two circles tangent to each other. On
the other hand, a cross section of the display support member 27d
of the fifth variant has a shape of two slightly-separated circles
having connection parts between them. Each display support member
27c, 27d of these variants forms a groove 28 at a part of opposed
arcs, and a guide roller 34a is in contact with this groove 28.
[0164] In sixth and seventh variants shown in FIGS. 14-17, each
display support member 27e, 27a has different cross sections at the
tip portion s at which the image display unit is fixed and at the
base portion b on the other side. Further, each display support
member 27e, 27f is supported by a slide shoe 34e, 34f. Each slide
shoe 34e, 34f is fixed to the display support member insertion hole
32 shown in FIG. 1.
[0165] The display support member 27e of the sixth variant has a
cross section of a circular shape on the side of its tip portion s
as shown in FIG. 15A and a cross section of an elliptical shape on
the side of its base portion b as shown in FIG. 15B. Here, FIG. 15A
shows the cross sections of the display support member 27e and the
slide shoe 34e both taken along the A-A line of FIG. 14. And, FIG.
15B shows the cross sections of the display support member 27e and
the slide shoe 34e both taken along the B-B line of FIG. 14.
[0166] The shape of the internal surface of the slide shoe 34e
through which the display support member 27e is inserted is an
elliptical shape of the same shape and size as the shape of the
cross section of the display support member 27e on the side of its
base portion b. As a result, when the base portion b of the display
support member 27e is at the position of the slide shoe 34e, or in
other words, when the image display unit is nearly at the
projecting position, movement of the display support member 27e in
any direction within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis
of the display support member 27e and rotation of the display
support member 27e in a direction within this plane are restricted
and only movement in the longitudinal direction is possible. On the
other hand, the cross section of the display support member 27e on
the side of its tip portion s has a shape of a circle as described
above, and the diameter of the circle is same as the minor axis of
the elliptical shape on the side of the base portion b. As a
result, when the tip portion s of the display support member 27e is
at the position of the slide shoe 34e, or in other words, when the
image display unit is nearly at the retracted position, movement of
the display support member 27e in any direction within a plane
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the display support
member 27e is restricted while rotation of the display support
member 27e in a direction within this plane is not restricted.
[0167] Accordingly, in the case of this variant, when the image
display unit is nearly positioned at the projecting position, the
display support member 27e can not rotate whether the display
support member 27e is moving or not, and thus the image display
unit is prevented from inclining. On the other hand, when, in this
variant, the image display unit is nearly positioned at the
retracted position, it is possible to rotate the display support
member 27e such that the image display unit is inclined suitably.
In other words, in the present embodiment, even though the display
support member 27e is in any posture in the neighborhood of the
retracted position, the image display unit assumes the determined
posture at the projecting position. Further, at the projecting
position, lead wires from the display support member 27e have
little play in the display support member housing 31, and there is
a possibility that the lead wires may break when the display
support member 27e rotates. However, the present embodiment
prevents rotation of the display support member 27 when it is
nearly at the projecting position, and accordingly the lead wires
can be prevented from breaking
[0168] The display support member 27f of the seventh variant has a
cross section of a circular shape on the side of its tip portion s
as shown in FIG. 17A and a cross section of an arc shape on the
side of its base portion b as shown in FIG. 17B. Here, FIG. 17A
shows the cross sections of the display support member 27f and the
slide shoe 34f both taken along the A-A line of FIG. 16. And, FIG.
17B shows the cross sections of the display support member 27f and
the slide shoe 34f both taken along the B-B line of FIG. 16.
[0169] The shape of the internal surface of the slide shoe 34f
through which the display support member 27f is inserted is an arc
shape of the same shape and size as the shape of the cross section
of the display support member 27f on its side of the base portion
b. As a result, when the base portion b of the display support
member 27f is at the position of the slide shoe 34f, or in other
words, when the image display unit is nearly at the projecting
position, movement of the display support member 27f in any
direction within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of
the display support member 27f and rotation of the display support
member 27f in a direction within this plane are restricted and only
movement in the longitudinal direction is possible. On the other
hand, the cross section of the display support member 27f on its
side of the tip portion s has a shape of a circle as described
above, and the diameter of the circle is same as the height of the
arc (i.e. the height from the chord as the base) on the side of the
base portion. As a result, when the tip portion s of the display
support member 27f is at the position of the slide shoe 34f, or in
other words, when the image display unit is nearly at the retracted
position, movement of the display support member 27f in any
direction within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of
the display support member 27f is restricted while rotation of the
display support member 27f in a direction within this plane is not
restricted.
[0170] Thus, the present variant can obtain the effects similar to
the sixth variant.
[0171] Next, referring to FIG. 18, will be described a variant of a
mode of fixing the display support member driving motor 35b that
makes the display support member 27 move.
[0172] As shown in FIG. 5, in the above-described embodiment, a
motor fixing wall is formed as a high wall adapted for an external
shape of the casing of the display support member driving motor 35b
in order to prevent shift and swing of the display support member
driving motor 35b in the present embodiment, the motor fixing wall
35c is made lower so that the tip side of the display support
member driving motor 35b can swing although it can not shift. At
the same time, the tip side of the display support member driving
motor 35b is biased toward the display support member 27 by means
of a spring 35d.
[0173] Generally, in the case where the display support member
driving motor 35b is fixed firmly as in the above-described
embodiment, it is impossible to keep a prescribed contact pressure
between the display arm support member 27 and the driving roller
35a mounted on the end of the display support member driving motor
35b unless the fixing position of the display support member
driving motor 35b is determined very precisely. Even if the
position of the display support member driving motor 35b is
determined very precisely, the contact pressure changes when the
display support member 27 moves and accordingly the relative
distance between the driving roller 35a and the display support
member 27 changes slightly. Thus, in the case where the contact
pressure between the display support member 27 and the driving
roller 35 can not be controlled to be constant, the driving roller
35a may slip on the display support member 27 so that the display
support member 27 can not be moved by an intended distance.
[0174] In the present embodiment, the contact pressure between the
driving roller 35a and the display support member 27 is managed to
be an intended contact pressure by holding the driving roller 35a
toward the display support member 27 by means of the spring 35d
while allowing the tip portion, i.e. the driving roller 35a of the
display support member driving motor 35b to move in the direction
of approaching to and leaving from the display support member
27.
[0175] Hereinabove, the first embodiment of the wearable display
unit has been described. However, the display support member does
not need to have a constant curvature as in the above-described
embodiment, and for example, may be curved in a shape like a part
of the circumference of an ellipse. Further, in this embodiment,
the locus of the movement of the image display unit 21 completely
coincides with the curved shape of the display support member 27.
However, it is sufficient that the locus of the image display unit
is curved in a shape nearly similar to the curved shape of the
display support member.
[0176] Further, the above-described embodiment has been described
taking up the rear-arm type headphones 10. However, the present
invention is not limited to this and may be applied to a head-arm
type that is worn by putting its arm around the top of a head.
Further, the above-described embodiment is directed to headphones
provided with speakers. However, the present invention can be
applied to a head-mounted device as long as the device has an arm
to be mounted on a head to hold the head from its left and right
sides, even if the device is not provided with speakers.
Second Embodiment
[0177] A second embodiment of the wearable display system of which
the image display unit can be arranged near a user's eye will be
described referring to FIGS. 19-22. In each of the below-described
embodiments also, a mechanism for preventing rotation of a display
support member is provided similarly to the first embodiment and
its variants. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a wearable
display system having an image display unit (in a coupled state) of
the present embodiment, the image display unit of which can be
arranged near a user's eye; FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing
the wearable display system (in a non-coupled state); FIG. 21 is a
cross section taken along the III-III line in FIG. 19; and FIG. 22
is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display system.
[0178] As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the wearable display system of
the present embodiment comprises headphones 110 and a wearable
display unit 120 that can be mounted on the headphones 110 and the
image display unit of which can be arranged near a user's eye.
[0179] The headphones 110 comprises: left and right speakers 111L
and 111R; a headphone arm 112 that connects the left and right
speakers 111L and 111R with each other; earpieces 113L and 113R
provided in the left and right speakers 111L and 111R respectively;
and a cable connection part (an external connection part) 114. The
headphones 110 are rear-arm type headphones whose headphone arm 112
is positioned around the back of the head of a user.
[0180] The wearable display unit 120 comprises: an image display
unit 121 that displays an image in front of a user's eye; an
attachment 140 that is fixed to the headphone arm 112; a holding
part 130 that couples an image display unit 121 to the attachment
140; and a cable 139 as a display-side electric connection part for
electric connection with the headphones 110. The holding part 130
comprises: a bar-shaped display support member 131 whose cross
section has an elliptic shape; and a display support member housing
part 133 for housing the display support member 131. The
longitudinal shape of the display support member 131 is curved
correspondingly to a shape of a head of a user. The display support
member housing part 133 has an internal space that can house most
of the display support member 131. The external shape of this
wearable display unit 120 including a display screen of the image
display unit 121 is symmetrical about a horizontal plane in a state
that the wearable display unit 120 is mounted horizontally on the
head of a user.
[0181] As shown in FIG. 21, the display support member housing part
133 comprises: a display support member housing 136 for housing the
display support member 131; a plurality of bearings 137 that
slidably support the display support member 131; and a driving
roller 138 for moving the display support member 131. In one end of
the display support member housing 136, there is formed a display
support member insertion hole 134 for insertion of the display
support member 131. And, in the other end of the display support
member housing 136, there is provided the display cable (the
display-side electric connection part) 139 for electric connection
with the headphones 110. And further, at a part connecting to the
attachment 140, there is formed a clearance part 135. This
clearance part 135 serves to avoid interference between the speaker
111L or 111R of the headphones 110 and the display support member
housing 136. The driving roller 138 is connected to the
below-mentioned display support member driving motor (shown in FIG.
22). The image display unit 121 comprises a display device 122 and
an optical system 123 for the display device 122.
[0182] The attachment 140 is made of an elastic material such as
resin and is formed to have a C-shaped cross section similarly to
the first embodiment. Thus, also in the present embodiment as well
as the first embodiment, the wearable display unit 120 can be
mechanically mounted to the headphone arm 112 by simply grasping
the headphone arm 112. Thus, it is not necessary to prepare a
dedicated attachment on the side of the headphones. In other words,
the present embodiment does not need dedicated headphones.
[0183] The cable connection part (the external connection part) 114
of the headphones 110 is connected with a controller 160 that
controls the headphones 110 and the wearable display unit 120. This
controller 160 comprises: a controller cable 161 connected with the
cable connection part 114 of the headphones 110; an image signal
receiving terminal 162 for receiving an image signal from the
outside; an audio signal receiving terminal 163 for receiving an
audio signal from the outside; an operation part 164 for user's
operation; a signal storage part 165 for storing the image signal
and the audio signal; an amplifier 166 that amplifies the audio
signal; a control part 167 that sends a control signal to various
parts according to instructions from the operation part 164; and a
main power supply circuit 168. The controller cable 161 has a
connector 161a provided with electric contacts. The connector 161a
is provided with: an audio signal line S1 for sending the audio
signal from the amplifier 166 to the cable connection part 114 of
the headphones 110; an image signal line I1 for sending the image
signal from the signal storage part 165 and the image signal
receiving terminal 162 to the cable connection part 114 of the
headphones 110; a control signal line C1 for sending the control
signal from the control part 167 to the cable connection part 114
of the headphones 110; and a power line P1 for sending power from
the main power supply circuit 168 to the cable connection part 114
of the headphones 110.
[0184] The cable connection part 114 of the headphones 110 is
provided with a controller-side connector 115a connected to the
connector 161a of the controller cable 161 and a display-side
connector (a headphone-side electric connection part) 115b
connected to a connector 139a of the display cable 139. The
controller-side connector 115a and the display-side connector 115b
are connected with each other through an image signal line I2, a
control signal line C2, a power line P2 and a ground line (not
shown). Through the connectors 161a and 115a, the image signal line
I1, the control signal line C1, the power line P1 and a ground line
provided in the controller cable 161 are connected respectively to
the image signal line I2, the control signal line C2, the power
line P2 and the ground line that are connected to the
controller-side connector 115a. Further, the audio signal line S1
provided in the controller cable 161 is connected to the speakers
111R and 111L through the connectors 161a and 115a and the audio
signal line S2.
[0185] Within the display support member housing 136 of the
wearable display unit 120, there are provided: a display processing
part 124 for sending the image signal to the display device 122; a
display support member drive control part 125 for moving the
display support member 131; a gravity sensor 128 for detecting the
up-and-down direction and for informing the display processing part
124 of a detection result; and a power supply circuit 129 for
supplying electric power to these parts 124, 125 and 128 and to the
display device 122. The display support member drive control part
125 comprises: a display support member driving motor 126 as a
driving source for moving the display support member 131; a group
of sensors 127 for detecting a forward movement critical position
and a backward movement critical position of the display support
member 131. The display cable 139 comprises: an image signal line
I3 connected to the image signal line I2 of the display-side
connector 115b of the headphones 110 through the connector 139a; a
control signal line C3 connected to the control signal line C2 of
the display-side connector 115b through the connector 139a; a power
line P3 connected to the power line P2 of the display-side
connector 115b through the connector 139a; and a ground line not
shown. The image signal line I3 of the display cable 139 is
connected to the display processing part 124 in the display support
member housing 136; the control signal line C3 of the display cable
139 is connected to the display processing part 124 and the display
support member drive control part 125 in the display support member
housing 136; and the power line P3 of the display cable 139 is
connected to the power supply circuit 129 in the display support
member housing 136. Further, the display support member 131 is
provided with: an image signal line I4 for sending the image signal
from the display processing part 124 in the display support member
housing 136 to the display device 122; a power line P4 for
supplying electric power from the power supply circuit 129 in the
display support member housing to the display device 122; and a
ground line not shown.
[0186] Thus, in the present embodiment, not only the audio signal
from the controller 160 but also the image signal, the control
signal and the electric power are sent to the cable connection part
114 of the headphones 110. Among these, the audio signal is sent to
each speaker 111R, 111L of the headphones 110, and the image
signal, the control signal and the electric power are sent to the
display support member housing part 133 of the wearable display
unit 120 through the cable connection part 114 of the headphones
110. Namely, in the present embodiment, all the signals and the
like sent from the controller 160 to the wearable display unit 120
and the headphones 110 are once sent to the headphones 110 so that
the number of cables extending from the controller 160 becomes
smaller.
[0187] In using the wearable display unit 120 together with the
headphones 110, the attachment 140 of the wearable display unit 120
is mechanically coupled to the headphone arm 112 as described
above. At that time, the attachment 140 of the wearable display
unit 120 may be fixed either to the neighborhood of the right
speaker 111R or to the neighborhood of the left speaker 111L of the
headphone arm 112. Next, the display cable 139 is connected to the
display-side connector 115b of the headphones 110, to connect the
headphones 110 and the wearable display unit 120 electrically.
Further, the controller cable 161 is connected to the
controller-side connector 115a of the headphones 110, to connect
the controller 160 and the headphones 110 electrically. Here, the
mechanical coupling and the electric connection of the wearable
display unit 120 with the headphones 110 and the electric
connection of the controller 160 with the headphones 110 can be
carried out in any order.
[0188] Then, the headphones 110 with which the wearable display
unit 120 is connected mechanically and electrically is mounted on
the head.
[0189] When a user wants to output sound together with a picture,
the user operates the play button and the like of the operation
part 164 of the controller 160. When the play button is pushed, the
main power supply circuit 168 outputs electric power and the
control part 167 outputs the display support member drive control
signal. Then, the electric power and the display support member
drive signal are sent to the wearable display unit 120 through the
cable connection part 114 of the headphones 110. The electric power
is sent to the power supply circuit 129 of the wearable display
unit 120, and then supplied various parts in the wearable display
unit 120. On the other hand, the display support member drive
signal is sent to the display support member drive control part 125
of the wearable display unit 120. As a result, the display support
member driving motor 126 of the display support member drive
control part 125 operates, and makes the display support member 131
project from the retracted position to the displayable position.
When a group of sensors 127 of the display support member drive
control part 125 detect the forward movement critical position
(i.e. the displayable position), the control part 167 of the
controller 160 is notified of this fact. Then, according to an
instruction from the control part 167, the image signal and the
audio signal stored in the signal storage part or the image signal
received through the image signal receiving terminal 162 and the
audio signal received through the audio signal receiving terminal
163 are outputted to the cable connection part 114 of the
headphones 110.
[0190] The controller 160 sends the audio signal to each speaker
111R, 111L of the headphones to reproduce the sound corresponding
to the audio signal. Further, the controller 160 sends the image
signal to the display device 122 through the cable connection part
114 of the headphones 110 and the display processing part 124 of
the wearable display unit 120, to reproduce the image corresponding
to the image signal.
[0191] In the case where the attachment 140 of the wearable display
unit 120 is removed from the position in the neighborhood of the
left speaker 111L of the headphone arm 112 and mechanically coupled
to a position in the neighborhood of the right speaker 11R, the
wearable display unit 120 is turned upside down. However, the
external shape of the wearable display unit 120 (including the
display screen of the image display unit 122) of the present
embodiment is symmetrical in the vertical direction in a state that
the wearable display unit 120 is mounted horizontally on the user's
head. Thus, even if the wearable display unit 120 is turned upside
down as a result of changing its fixing position from the left to
the right, the user can use the wearable display unit 120 without
feeling uncomfortable. Further, even if the wearable display unit
120 is turned upside down as a result of changing its fixing
position from the left to the right, the gravity sensor 128 can
detect the state, and the display processing part 124 automatically
reverses the top and the bottom of a displayed image. Thus, the top
of the displayed image is displayed correctly on the upper side.
Thus, it is possible to solve inversion of the image owing to
change of the left and right fixing positions of the wearable
display unit 120.
[0192] When the headphones 110 are used by themselves, the display
cable 139 of the wearable display unit 120 is removed from the
cable connection part 114 of the headphones 110 and the attachment
140 of the wearable display unit 120 is removed from the headphone
arm 112. In other words, the mechanical and electric connections
between the headphones 110 and the wearable display unit 120 are
released. Then, when the controller 160 sends the audio signal to
the headphones 110, the sound corresponding to the audio signal is
reproduced through the speakers 111R and 111L of the
headphones.
[0193] As described above, in the present embodiment, the
mechanical and electric connections between the headphones 110 and
the wearable display unit 120 can be released, and thus the
headphones 110 can be used by themselves. In addition, the
headphone arm 112 can be coupled mechanically to the wearable
display unit 120 without providing a special fixing mechanism to
the headphone arm 112 as a head mounting belt. As a result, the
beauty of the headphones 110 is improved even at the time of using
by themselves.
[0194] Although, in the present embodiment, the amplifier 166 is
provided in the controller 160, the amplifier 166 may be provided
in the headphones 110. In that case, wires may be provided for
supplying electric power from the controller 160 to the amplifier
in the headphones 110. Further, in the present embodiment, the
display processing part 124 is provided in the display support
member housing part 133 of the wearable display unit 120. However,
a part of the functions of the display processing part 124, for
example a function of driving the display device 122 may be
provided in the image display unit 121. Or, all the functions of
the display processing part 124 may be provided in the image
display unit 121. Or, a part of various functional parts of the
wearable display unit 120 and a part of various functional parts of
the controller 160 may be suitably provided in other parts.
[0195] Next, will be described first and second variants of the
attachment in the first and second embodiments, referring to FIGS.
23 and 24 respectively. FIG. 23 is a cross section showing the
first variant of the attachment of the wearable display system of
the second embodiment, and FIG. 24 is a cross section showing the
second variant of the attachment of the wearable display
system.
[0196] As shown in FIG. 23, the attachment 140a as the first
variant comprises: a groove member 141 having a pair of side walls
142a and 142b opposed to each other; a second grasping member 143
that grasps the headphone arm 112 between it and one side wall
(hereinafter, referred to as a first grasping member) 142a; and a
screw member 144 as a pressing member that presses the second
grasping member 143 toward the first grasping member 142a.
[0197] The groove member 141 is formed integrally with the
clearance part 135 of the display support member housing part 133.
The side wall 142a of the groove member 141 on the side of the
clearance part 135 becomes the first grasping member. The other
side wall 142b of the groove member 141 is formed with a threaded
hole into which the screw member 144 as the pressing member is
screwed. The second grasping member 143 is fixed to the tip of the
screw member 144.
[0198] To couple the attachment 140a to the headphone arm 112, a
part of the headphone arm 112 is positioned between the first and
second grasping members 142a and 143. Then, the screw member 144 is
screwed to narrow the distance between the first grasping member
142a and the second grasping member 143 so that both grasping
members 142a and 143 grasp the headphone arm 112 between them.
[0199] The attachment 140b as the second variant is shown in FIG.
24, and different from the first variant in that the screw member
144 as the pressing member is replaced by a spring coil 144b as an
elastic member.
[0200] To couple this attachment 140b to the headphone arm 112, a
space between the first grasping member 142a and the second
grasping member 143 is widened to shrink the spring coil 144b.
Then, a part of the headphone arm 112 is placed between the first
and second grasping members 142a and 143 so that the elastic force
of the spring coil 144b pushes the second grasping member 143
toward the first grasping member 142b to grasp the headphone arm
112 between the grasping members 142b and 143.
[0201] Thus, in both the first and second variants, the wearable
display unit can be coupled to the headphone arm 112 simply by
grasping the headphone arm 112. Further, in these variants, the
headphone arm 112 is grasped when the attachment 140a, 140b changes
its form as a result of movement of the second grasping member 143.
Accordingly, these variants can be adapted for a headphone arm 112
that has a slightly different cross section.
[0202] Next, will be described a variant of the headphones 110 in
the second embodiment, referring to FIG. 25.
[0203] In headphones 10a of the present variant, the cable
connection part 114 in the second embodiment is divided into three
parts. In detail, cable connection parts 114a, 114R and 114L in the
present variant are a controller cable connection part 114a to
which the controller cable 161 from the controller 160 is
connected, and two display cable connection parts 114R and 114L to
which the display cable 139 from the wearable display unit 120 is
connected.
[0204] The controller cable connection part 114a is provided at the
same position as the cable connection part 114 in the second
embodiment, namely at the center of the headphone arm 112. And, two
display cable connection parts 114R and 114L are each provided
between the left or right speaker 111R or 111L and the controller
cable connection part 114a. Each display cable connection part
114R, 114L has a connector to which the connector 139a of the
display cable 139 can be connected. Similarly to the second
embodiment described referring to FIG. 22, each connector of the
display cable connection parts 114R and 114L is connected with the
power line P2, the image signal line I2, the control signal line C2
and the ground line from the connector of the controller cable
connection part 114a.
[0205] By placing the two display cable connection parts 114R and
114L in the neighborhoods of the left and right speakers 111R and
111L respectively, it is possible to shorten the length of the
display cable 139 to be connected to these display cable connection
parts 114R and 114L.
Third Embodiment
[0206] Next, referring to FIGS. 26-28, will be described a third
embodiment of the wearable display system which can be arranged
near a user's eye. FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing the
wearable display system (in a coupled state) of the third
embodiment; FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing the wearable
display system (in a non-coupled state); and FIG. 28 is a circuit
block diagram of the wearable display system.
[0207] As shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, the wearable display system of
the present embodiment has the basically same mechanical
configuration as the configuration of the second embodiment except
that arrangement of the power line, the signal line and the like is
different.
[0208] The display support member housing 136 of the wearable
display unit 120b is provided with connection parts at the end
portion on the opposite side to the insertion hole for the
headphone support member 131. These connection parts are connected
with a headphone cable 119 extending from the headphones 110b and
the controller cable 161 extending from the controller. As shown in
FIG. 28, within the display support member housing 136, are
provided the display processing part 124, the display support
member drive control part 125, the gravity sensor 128 and the power
supply circuit 129 similarly to the second embodiment. The
connection part to which the controller cable 161 is connected has
a controller-side connector (an external connection part) 139c and
the connection part to which the headphone cable 119 is connected
has a headphone-side connector 139b. The controller-side connector
139c is connected with: an image signal line I2b connected to the
image signal line I1 of the controller cable 161 through the
connector 161a; a control signal line C2b connected to the control
signal line C1 of the controller cable 161 through the connector
161a; a power line P2b connected to the power line P1 of the
controller cable 161 through the connector 161a; and an audio
signal line S2b connected to the audio signal line S1 of the
controller cable 161 through the connector 161a. Further, ground
lines not shown in the figure are connected to each other. The
image signal line I2b extending from the controller-side connector
139c is connected with the display processing part 124. The control
signal line C2b is connected with the display processing part 124,
the display support member drive control part 125 and the gravity
sensor 128. And, the power line P2b is connected with the power
supply circuit 129. Further, the audio signal line S2b and the
ground line are connected to the headphone-side connector 139b.
[0209] The cable connection part 114b of the headphones 110b is
provided with the headphone cable 119, and a connector (a
headphone-side electric connection part) 119b of the headphone
cable 119 is connected to the headphone-side connector (a
display-side electric connection part) 139b of the wearable display
unit 120b.
[0210] Namely, in the present embodiment, the image signal, the
audio signal and the electric power from the controller 160 are
sent to the wearable display unit 120b. Among these, only the audio
signal is sent to the headphones 110b through the wearable display
unit 120b. The other signal and the like are processed in the
wearable display unit 120b.
[0211] As described above, in the present embodiment, all the
signals and the like sent from the controller 160 to the wearable
display unit 120b and the headphones 110b are once sent to the
wearable display unit 120b. As a result, the number of cables
extending from the controller 160 is reduced. Further, the
headphones 110b of the present embodiment receives only the audio
signal from the wearable display unit 120b and uses the headphone
cable 119 for receiving the audio signal. In addition, the
headphones 110b do not need a special fixing structure for
mechanical coupling to the wearable display unit 120b. As a result,
ordinary headphones sold on the market can be used as the
headphones 110b. Further, lead wires provided in the headphone
cable 119 and the headphone arm 112 are only a right signal line, a
left signal line and a ground line. Thus, thin wires can be used as
the lead wires in the headphone cable 119 and the headphone arm
112. As a result, the headphones 110b itself can be made smaller
and lighter and uncomfortable feeling at the time of mounting on
the user's head can be reduced.
Fourth Embodiment
[0212] Next, referring to FIGS. 29-33, will be described a fourth
embodiment of the wearable display system of which the image
display unit can be arranged near a user's eye. FIG. 29 is a
perspective view showing the wearable display system (in a
non-coupled state) of the fourth embodiment; FIG. 30 is a
horizontal cross section showing main parts of the wearable display
system of the fourth embodiment; FIG. 31 is a vertical cross
section showing an attachment of the wearable display system; FIG.
32 is an explanatory view showing arrangement of electric contacts
in left and right coupling portions of the wearable display system;
and FIG. 33 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable display
system.
[0213] As shown in FIG. 29, the wearable display system of the
present embodiment also comprises headphones 110c and a wearable
display unit 120c similarly to the above-described embodiments.
[0214] At an almost central portion of the headphone arm 112 of the
headphones 110c, there is provided a cable connection part 1114c to
which the controller cable 161 is connected. Further, in the
neighborhoods of the left and right speakers 111R and 111L of the
headphone arm 112, there are formed respective coupling portions
116, 116 to which the wearable display unit 120c is coupled.
Further, multiple electric contacts 116a, 116a, . . . are provided
in each of these coupling portions 116, 116. On both sides of each
coupling portion 116, are formed projections 117, 117 for
restricting a shift of the wearable display unit 120c in the
longitudinal direction of the headphone arm 112. The electric
contacts 116a of each coupling portion 116 are formed on the outer
side of the headphone arm 112 of an arc shape adapted for a shape
of a head. Further, an anti-rotation member 116b for preventing
rotation of the wearable display unit 120c is formed on the inner
side of each coupling portion. As shown in FIG. 31, this
anti-rotation member 116b projects toward the opposite side to the
electric contacts 116a and has a width corresponding to the opening
width of the attachment 140c having a C-shaped cross section. FIG.
31 shows cross sections of a coupling portion 116 and the
attachment 140c coupled to the coupling portion 116.
[0215] As shown in FIG. 30 illustrating the cross section of the
display support member housing 136, the clearance part 135 of the
display support member housing 136 is provided with a displacement
mechanism 150. The displacement mechanism 150 is used for changing
the relative position and direction of the image display unit 121
with respect to the attachment 140. The displacement mechanism 150
comprises a ball 151 provided in the attachment 140 and a ball
socket 152 formed in the clearance part 135 of the display support
member housing 136. Frictional force larger than a certain
magnitude acts between the ball 151 and the ball socket 152. Thus,
the ball socket 152 can not rotate relatively to the ball 151
unless turning force larger than a certain magnitude acts on the
ball socket 152 in relation to the ball 151. Further, as shown in
the figure, lead wires are provided within the displacement
mechanism 150.
[0216] As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the internal surface of the
attachment 140c of the C-shaped cross section is provided with a
plurality of electric contacts 145c, 145c, that are respectively in
contact with a plurality of electric contacts 116a, 116a, . . .
provided in each coupling portion 116 of the headphone arm 112.
Theses electric contacts 145c are connected with the lead wires
that form the signal lines and the power line. These lead wires
pass through the insides of the attachment 140c and the ball 151
and extend toward the inside of the display support member housing
136.
[0217] As shown in FIG. 33, wiring of the signal lines and the like
in the wearable display unit 120 and the headphones 110 is
basically similar to the wiring of the second embodiment. However,
as described above, the headphone arm 112 has a plurality of
electric contacts 116a, 116a in each of the two portions (i.e. the
left and right portions) in order to establish electric connection
with the wearable display unit 120. Accordingly, the power line P2,
the control signal line C2 and the image signal line I2 extending
from the controller-side connector 115c of the headphones 110 are
each branched on the way to extend to two electric contacts 116a,
116a. Out of two sets of electric contacts 116a, 116a provided
respectively at the two portions of the headphone arm 112, one set
of electric contacts 116a become in contact with a plurality of
electric contacts 145c provided in the attachment 140c at the time
of mechanical coupling between the attachment 140c of the wearable
display unit 120c and the headphone arm 112. The other set of
electric contacts 116a are connected with terminating resistance
for consuming a signal transmitted through the image signal line I2
so that the image signal is efficiently supplied to the display
processing part 124. In fact, considering the external appearance
also, a cap having terminating resistance is put on the other set
of electric contacts 116a.
[0218] The top and the bottom of the wearable display unit 120c are
reversed between the case where the wearable display unit 120c is
coupled to the coupling portion 116 on the right side of the
headphone arm 112 and the case where the wearable display unit 120c
is coupled to the coupling portion 116 on the left side of the
headphone arm 112. Accordingly, it is necessary to differentiate
the arrangement of a plurality of electric contacts 116a in the
coupling portion 116 on the right side from the arrangement of a
plurality of electric contacts 116a in the coupling portion 116 on
the left side.
[0219] FIG. 32 is a view showing a state of the arrangements,
seeing the left side coupling portion 116 and the right side
coupling portion 116 from respective fronts of the surfaces in
which electric contacts are arranged. As shown in the figure, it is
assumed that, as a plurality of electric contacts 116a in each
coupling portion 116, there exist contacts 1-8, and that, in the
left coupling portion 116, the contacts 1-4 are placed from left to
right in a row, and under this group of contacts, the contacts 5-8
are placed from left to right. As described above, when the
coupling position is changed from left to right or vice versa, the
top and the bottom of the wearable display unit 120 are reversed
and, as a result, also a plurality of electric contacts 145c
provided in the attachment 140 are turned upside down. Accordingly,
in the right coupling portion 116, the contacts 5-8 (which are
placed on the lower side in the left coupling portion 116) are
placed on the upper side and the contacts 1-4 (which are placed on
the upper side in the left coupling portion 116) are placed on the
lower side. Further, in the right coupling portion 116, the
contacts 1-4 are placed from right to left, i.e. to the direction
to which the headphone arm 112 extends, and the contacts 5-8 are
placed from right to left also.
[0220] In other words, as for contacts positioned side by side in a
nearly vertical direction in a state that the headphones 110c are
mounted on a user's head, their positional relationship in the
vertical direction is reversed between the left and right coupling
portions 116, 116. And, as for contacts positioned side by side in
a nearly horizontal direction in a state that the headphones 110c
are mounted on the user's head, their positional relationship in
the horizontal direction is reversed between the left and right
coupling portions 116, 116.
[0221] As described above, in the present embodiment also, it is
possible to release the mechanical and electric connections between
the headphones 110c and the wearable display unit 120 similarly to
the above-described embodiments. Thus, the headphones 110c can be
used by themselves. Further, since the electric contacts 116a, 145c
are provided in the headphones 110c and the mechanical attachment
140c for electrically connecting the headphones 110c and the
wearable display unit 120c, cables for electrically connecting the
headphones 110c and the wearable display unit 120c are not
required. Thus, the external appearance is improved.
[0222] In the second embodiment, the gravity sensor 128 can detect
vertical inversion of the image display unit 121 caused by a change
of the position of coupling the wearable display unit 120. In the
present embodiment, instead, it is possible to provide a sensor
that detects a state of an electrical connection of at least one
contact among a plurality of electric contacts in the attachment
120c of the wearable display unit 120 or at least one contact among
a plurality of electric contacts in the left and right coupling
portions 116. Output of this sensor is sent to the display
processing part 124, similarly to the output of the gravity sensor
128 in the second embodiment. Based on the output of this sensor,
the display processing part 124 can recognize whether the wearable
display unit 120c is coupled on the right side or the left side and
reverse the top and the bottom of the image.
[0223] Instead of the mechanical attachment 140c of the present
embodiment, the attachment 140a or 140b of the first or second
variant in the second embodiment may be used while providing
electric contacts to the attachment 140a or 140b. This can produce
similar effects, of course.
[0224] Next, referring to FIG. 34, will be described a variant of
the displacement mechanism 150 in the above-described fourth
embodiment.
[0225] A displacement mechanism 150a of this variant uses a
flexible wire 153 instead of the ball 151 in the displacement
mechanism 150 of the fourth embodiment. This flexible wire 153 is
obtained by weaving fine wires into a wire rod of a certain
thickness and filling resin into gaps between the fine wires and
around the rod of the certain thickness. Thus, the flexible wire
153 is deformed under a force of a certain intensity and keeps the
deformed state unless a force of a certain intensity is applied
again.
[0226] One end of this flexible wire 153 is fixed to the clearance
part 135 of the display support member housing 136, and the other
end to the attachment 140c. Thus, using this flexible wire 153
instead of the ball 151 in the fourth embodiment and deforming the
flexible wire 153 in various directions, the holding part 130 and
the image display unit 121 held by the holding part 130 can be
displaced around each of three independent axes in the
three-dimensional space, similarly to the fourth embodiment.
[0227] The displacement mechanism 150 of the fourth embodiment or
the displacement mechanism 150a of the present variant can be used
in each of the above- and below-described embodiments.
Fifth Embodiment
[0228] Next, referring to FIGS. 35 and 36, will be described a
fifth embodiment of the wearable display system of which the image
display unit can be arrange near a user's eye. FIG. 35 is a
perspective view showing the wearable display system of the fifth
embodiment, and FIG. 36 is a circuit block diagram of the wearable
display system.
[0229] As shown in FIG. 35, also the wearable display system of the
present embodiment comprises headphones 110d and a wearable display
unit 120d similarly to the above-described embodiments.
[0230] In the neighborhoods of the left and right speakers 111R and
111L of the headphone arm 112 of the headphones 110d, are formed
respective coupling portions 116, 116 to which the wearable display
unit 120d is to be coupled. These coupling portions 116, 116 are
each provided with a plurality of electric contacts 116d. On both
sides of each coupling portion 116, are formed projections 117, 117
for restricting a shift of the wearable display unit 120d in the
longitudinal direction of the headphone arm 112. The electric
contacts 116d of each coupling portion 116 are formed on the outer
side of the headphone arm 112 of an arch shape adapted for a shape
of a head. And, on the inner side of the headphone arm 112, is
formed an anti-rotation member 116b for preventing rotation of the
wearable display unit 120d.
[0231] On the other hand, an attachment 140d of the wearable
display unit 120 is coupled to a coupling portion 116 of the
headphones 110d. The attachment 140d is basically similar to the
attachment of the fourth embodiment, and the internal surface of
the attachment 140d is provided with a plurality of electric
contacts that are in contact with a plurality of electric contacts
116d, 116d provided in each coupling portion 116 of the headphone
arm 112. These electric contacts are connected with lead wires that
form the signal lines and the power line. These lead wires pass
through the inside of the attachment 140d and extend toward the
inside of the display support member housing 136. The width (i.e.
the length in the direction of the extension of the headphone arm
112) W2 of this attachment 140d is shorter than the width W1 of
each coupling portion 116 of the headphone arm 112. As a result,
the attachment 140d can move relatively to each coupling portion
116 of the headphone arm 112 by the length (W1-W2) in the direction
of the extension of the headphone arm 112. Accordingly, to ensure
electric connections between the electric contacts 116d of each
coupling portion 116 and the electric contacts in the attachment
140d, each electric contact 116d in the coupling portions 116 has
the length larger than (W1-W2) in the direction of the extension of
the headphone arm. In the present embodiment also, as for contacts
positioned side by side in a nearly horizontal direction in a state
that the headphones 110d are mounted on a user's head, their
positional relationship in the horizontal direction is reversed
between the left and right coupling portions 116, 116.
[0232] As shown in FIG. 36, wiring of the signal lines and the like
in the wearable display unit 120c and the headphones 110c is
basically similar to the wiring of the third embodiment. However,
as described above, the headphone arm 112 has a plurality of
electric contacts 116d, 116d in each of the two portions (i.e. the
left and right portions) in order to establish electric connection
with the wearable display unit 120d. Accordingly, the audio signal
line S3b extending from each speaker 111R, 111L of the headphones
110d are branched on the way to extend to two electric contacts
116d, 116d. Out of two sets of electric contacts 116d, 116d
provided respectively at the two portions of the headphone arm 112,
one set of electric contacts 116d become in contact with a
plurality of electric contacts 145d provided in the attachment 140d
at the time of mechanical coupling between the attachment 140d of
the wearable display unit 120d and the headphone arm 112.
[0233] As described above, the present embodiment can obtain
basically same effects as ones obtained by the fourth embodiment.
Further, in the present embodiment, the wearable display unit 120d
can be moved relatively to the headphones 110 in the direction in
which the headphone arm 112 extends. As a result, it is possible to
have a larger degree of freedom of displacement of the wearable
display unit 120d in relation to the headphones 110d, in comparison
with the fourth embodiment.
Sixth Embodiment
[0234] Next, referring to FIGS. 37-39, will be described a sixth
embodiment of the wearable display system of which the image
display unit can be arranged near a user's eye. FIG. 37 is a
perspective view showing the wearable display system of the sixth
embodiment; FIG. 38 is a cross section showing a speaker, an
attachment and a displacement mechanism of the wearable display
system; and FIG. 39 is a cross section showing a speaker and an
outer cap of the wearable display system.
[0235] As shown in FIG. 37, the wearable display system of the
present embodiment comprises headphones 110e and a wearable display
unit 120e, similarly to the above-described embodiments.
[0236] The wearable display system of the present embodiment has
the basically same circuit configuration, wiring of the signal
lines and the like as those of the wearable display system of the
fifth embodiment described referring to FIG. 36. However, as
described in the following, the present embodiment is different
from the above-described embodiments in that the wearable display
unit 120e is coupled to a speaker 111 of the headphones 110e. As a
result, positions of electric contacts for electrically connecting
the headphones 110 and the wearable display unit 120e are different
from ones in the fourth embodiment.
[0237] A coupling portion 118, to which the wearable display unit
120e is to be coupled, is formed in each of left and right speakers
111R and 111L of the headphones 110e on the side opposite to the
side contacting with a user's head. As shown in FIG. 38, this
coupling portion 118 is formed with a collar 118a projecting toward
the inner side at an opening edge of a groove. This collar 118a is
formed with elastic resin and can be deformed. In a portion
corresponding to the bottom of the groove of each coupling portion
118, there are provided a plurality of electric contacts 116d,
116d, . . . for receiving the audio signal.
[0238] The wearable display unit 120e comprises: an image display
unit 121 for displaying an image in front of a user's eye; an
attachment 140e that can be coupled to the coupling portion 118 of
each speaker 111R, 111L; and a holding part 130 that connects the
image display unit 121 to the attachment 140e.
[0239] As shown in FIG. 38, the attachment 140e has a shape that
can be inserted into the coupling portion 118 of a speaker 111. In
detail, the attachment 140e comprises: an attachment main body 141e
of a hollow cylinder shape; and a coupling collar 142e that enters
between the bottom of a coupling portion 118 and the collar 118a of
the coupling portion 118. The coupling collar 142e is provided on
the outer periphery of the bottom 143e of the attachment main body
141e. To couple the attachment 140e to a speaker 111, the collar
118a of the coupling portion 118 of the speaker 111 is deformed
elastically, to insert the coupling collar 142e of the attachment
140e between the bottom of the coupling portion 118 and its collar
118a. The bottom 143e of the attachment main body 140e is provided
with electric contacts 145d that are to be connected to the
electric contacts 116d of a speaker 111. When the attachment 140e
has been coupled to the coupling portion 118 of a speaker 111,
these electric contacts 145d are electrically connected to the
electric contacts 116d of the coupling portion 118.
[0240] As described above, the wearable display system of the
present embodiment has the basically same circuit configuration,
wiring of the signal lines and the like as those of the fifth
embodiment. However, the present embodiment is different from the
fifth embodiment in that a part of the circuit configuration
provided in the display support member housing 136 is placed inside
the hollow attachment main body 141e. Further, a circuit board
formed with such circuits is connected with the controller cable
161 extending from the controller 160. The above-mentioned electric
contacts 145d of the attachment 140e are connected, through the
circuit board 143, with the audio signal line included in the
controller cable 161. Further, the control signal lines, the image
signal line, the power line and the like extend from each circuit
124, 129 or the like on the circuit board 143. The control signal
lines are connected to the display support member drive control
part 125 and the like provided in the display support member
housing 136 of the holding part 130. The image signal line is
connected to the image display unit 121. And, the power line
supplies electric power to the display support member drive control
part 125 and the image display unit 121.
[0241] A displacement mechanism 150e for changing the directions
and positions of the holding part 130 and the image display unit
121 relatively to the attachment 140e is provided between the
display support member housing 136 and the attachment 140e. The
displacement mechanism 150e comprises: an up-and-down movement
rotation axis member 151e for moving the image display unit 121 up
and down; and a left-and-right movement rotation axis member 154e
for moving the image display unit 121 to the left and to the right.
The up-and-down movement rotation axis member 151e comprises: an
axis member 152e that is fixed to the attachment 140e on the
opposite side to the electric contacts 145d; and a bracket member
153e that extends from the axis member 152e toward the holding part
130. The left-and-right movement rotation axis member 154e passes
through the bracket member 153e of the up-and-down movement
rotation axis member 151e and a bracket member 136e of the display
support member housing 136. In the displacement mechanism 150e,
frictional force larger than a certain magnitude acts between the
axial parts and the socket parts, and thus a socket part does not
rotate relatively to an axial part unless a force larger than a
certain level is applied from the side of the display support
member housing 136.
[0242] In the present embodiment, each of the right speaker 111R
and the left speaker 111L is formed with a coupling portion 118.
Thus, when the wearable display unit 120e is coupled to the right
speaker 111R for example, the coupling portion 118 of the left
speaker 111L is exposed. This is not favorable from the viewpoint
of the external appearance. Thus, the present embodiment has an
outer cap 140f for covering the coupling portion 118 of a speaker
111 to which the wearable display unit 120e is not coupled. As
shown in FIG. 39, the outer cap 140f is similar to the attachment
140e in their external appearances, and has a collar 142f that is
fit into the coupling portion 118 of each speaker 111. Further, the
outer cap 140f is hollow similarly to the attachment 140e, and a
division plate 143f similar to the circuit board 143 of the
attachment 140e is provided inside the outer cap 140f. The division
plate 143f is provided in order to form the same space Sf within
the outer cap 140f as a space Se formed between the circuit board
143 and the bottom 143e of the attachment main body 141e as a
result of providing the circuit board 143 in the attachment 140e.
Owing to this arrangement, it is possible to obtain the same sound
quality both from the left speaker 111L and the right speaker
111R.
[0243] As described above, also in the present embodiment, all the
signals and the like sent from the controller 160 to the wearable
display unit 120e and the headphones 110e are once sent to the
wearable display unit 120e similarly to the third and fifth
embodiments. As a result, the number of cables extending from the
controller 160 can be reduced. Further, it is not necessary to
provide the image signal line in the headphones. This reduces the
weight of the headphones. Further, the outer cap 140f can consume
the image signal, it is not necessary to provide a terminating
resistance separately.
[0244] In the present embodiment, all the signals and the like sent
from the controller 160 to the wearable display unit 120e and the
headphones 110 are once sent to the wearable display unit 120e.
However, similarly to the second and fifth embodiments, it is
possible that all the signals and the like sent from the controller
160 to the wearable display unit 120 and the headphones 110e are
once sent to the headphones 110e, and the wearable display unit
120e receives the image signal and electric power from the
headphones 110.
[0245] Further, in the present embodiment, the attachment 140e is
coupled to a speaker 111 by deformation of an elastic body.
However, as shown in FIG. 40, for example a magnet 149 may be
provided to either of the attachment 140e and a speaker 111, and a
magnetic body such as iron may be provided to the other so that the
attachment 140e is attached to the speaker 111.
[0246] Further, in the case where a plurality of electric contacts
exist as the electric contacts 116d of the coupling portion 118 of
each speaker 111, it is favorable that these contacts are arranged
as described above referring to FIG. 32.
[0247] Further, into the present embodiment, may be combined
various structures of the above-described embodiment and their
variants such as the various constructions of the display support
member and its support forms described in the first embodiment, the
circuit configuration of the system described in the second
embodiment or the like, and the constructions of the auxiliary
holding parts that will be described in the seventh embodiment.
Seventh Embodiment
[0248] Referring to FIGS. 41-44, will be described a seventh
embodiment of the wearable display system of which the image
display unit can be arranged near a user's eye.
[0249] FIG. 41 is a perspective view showing an external appearance
of the wearable display system in the case where the wearable
display system is mounted on a head H of a user U. In the present
embodiment, the head H includes the neck of the user U who uses the
wearable display system, and thus refers to the neck and a part
above the neck.
[0250] The wearable display system of the present embodiment
comprises: headphones 210 that is to be mounted on a head H and has
functions of generating sound such as voice, music, sound effects
and the like; and a wearable display unit 220 that has a function
of displaying an image for a user U. Further, the wearable display
unit 220 is connected with a cable 230. The cable 230 supplies
electric power and sound/image signals from a power supply unit
(not shown) and a sound/image signal generation unit (not shown) to
the wearable display system.
[0251] The headphones 210 comprise: a right speaker 211a; a left
speaker 211b; a right earpiece 212a; a left earpiece 212b; and a
headphone arm 213 that connects the right and left speakers 211a
and 211b.
[0252] The right speaker 211a and the left speaker 211b have a
sound output function, and a sound signal from the cable 230 is
supplied to these speakers 211a and 211b.
[0253] The right earpiece 212a is connected to the right speaker
211a and assists the right speaker 211a to be mounted on and in
close contact with the head H. Further, the left earpiece 212b is
connected to the left speaker 211b and assists the left speaker
211b to be mounted on and in close contact with the head H.
[0254] The headphone arm 213 holds the head H of the user U inside
the headphone arm 213 by its elastic force and connects the right
speaker 211a and the left speaker 211b with each other.
[0255] The wearable display unit 220 comprises: a image display
unit 222; a holding part 221 that can hold the image display unit
222 in front of an eye of the user U; an attachment 227 that
connects the holding part 221 and the headphone arm 213; an
auxiliary holding part 240 provided to the holding part 221; a head
pressing detection sensor 250 provided in the auxiliary holding
part 240.
[0256] The auxiliary holding part 240 is provided to the holding
part 221 at a position where the auxiliary holding part 240 does
not enter the field of vision of the user U in a state that the
center of the field of vision of the user U coincides with the
center of an image on the image display unit 222.
[0257] The image display unit 222 reproduces and displays the image
signal sent through the cable 230. The known techniques can be used
for reproduction and display of the image signal.
[0258] The holding part 221 comprises: a connection part 223; a
display support member 224; and a display support member housing
part 225.
[0259] The connection part 223 connects the image display unit 222
and the display support member 224. The connection part 223 may use
a ball joint so that the direction of displaying an image on the
image display unit 222 can be changed continuously centering on the
connection part 223.
[0260] One end of the display support member 224 is connected to
the image display unit 222 through the connection part 223. The
other end of the display support member 224 is slidably held by the
display support member housing part 225. Further, as shown in FIG.
42, the display support member 224 is provided with a holding
member 224a, a pin 224b and a spring fixing member 224c in the
surface that faces the head H. FIG. 42 is a cross section showing
main parts of the wearable display system.
[0261] The display support member 224 is a pipe-shaped arm and
draws a curve running along a curve extending from the temporal
part of the head H to the face part. The display support member 224
has strength that bears the weight of the image display unit 222
and the connection part 223.
[0262] The display support member housing part 225 houses at least
a part of the display support member 224 as well as at least a part
of the auxiliary holding part 240 in its inside.
[0263] In the present embodiment, when the image display unit 222
is retracted from the front of an eye of the user U and at least a
part of the display support member is housed in the display support
member housing part 225 as shown in FIG. 42, it is said that the
display support member 224 is in a housed position. Further, when
the display support member 224 supports the image display unit 222
in front of a user's eye (FIG. 41), it is said that the display
support member 224 is in a projecting position.
[0264] The display support member housing part 225 comprises: a
display support member housing 226; a display support member
position detection sensor 231; a holding part driving unit 232; a
control unit 235; and a mode selection switch 236.
[0265] A housing space 226a inside the display support member
housing 226 has sufficient size for housing the display support
member 224 and the auxiliary holding part 240 positioned along the
display support member 224. Further, the housing space 226a has
depth for housing at least a part of the display support member
224.
[0266] The display support member position detection sensor 231 is
a pressure sensor. Instead of this sensor 231, the sensors of the
first embodiment may be used. A fixing location of the display
support member position detection sensor 231 is the innermost
portion of the housing space 226a. In the present embodiment, when
the display support member 224 is positioned at the housed
position, one end 224d of the display support member 224 at which
the image display unit 222 is not fixed presses the innermost
portion of the housing space 226. As a result, the display support
member position detection sensor 231 detects the pressure from the
display support member 224, and thus detects that the display
support member 224 is at the housed position.
[0267] The holding part driving unit 232 comprises: a display
support member driving motor (not shown); a power line (not shown)
and a control line (not shown) connected to the display support
member driving motor; a motor shaft 233; and a driving roller 234
fixed to the motor shaft 233. An outer periphery of the driving
roller 234 is in contact with an inner side surface of the curved
display support member 224. The driving roller 234 can move the
display support member 224 slidingly by the turning force given
from the electric motor to the motor shaft 233.
[0268] As shown in FIG. 42, the mode selection switch 236 is partly
projecting outside the display support member housing 226, and thus
it is possible to operate the mode selection switch 236 while using
the display support member housing 226. The mode selection switch
236 switches between three modes, i.e. a manual mode in which
sliding operation of the display support member 224 is carried out
manually, an electric operation mode in which the holding part
driving unit 232 is activated electrically, and an off mode in
which the switch is turned off. In the cases of the electric
operation mode and the manual mode, a stopper for stopping rotation
of the driving roller 234 is released.
[0269] FIG. 43 is a cross section showing a part of the display
support member 224, the auxiliary holding part 240 and the head
pressing detection sensor 250.
[0270] The auxiliary holding part 240 comprises: a pressing member
401 that presses the head H at a pressure larger than a certain
value; a shaft member 402; a spring fixing member 403; and a
mounting member 405 for mounting the shaft member 402 to the
display support member 224. The pressing member 401 is provided
with the head pressing detection sensor 250. Further, a movement
sensor 407 for detecting a change in movement of the head H is
provided within the pressing member 401.
[0271] The pressing member 401 has a spherical shape and is
connected to the shaft member 402. Further, the pressing member 401
presses the head H.
[0272] The shaft member 402 is swingably mounted to the display
support member 224 by means of the holding member 224a and the pin
224b through the mounting member 405.
[0273] A pressing force generation unit 245 generates a pressing
force of the auxiliary holding part 240, and comprises
electromagnets 451 and 452 and a spring 453. The electromagnet 452
is fixed to the shaft member 402, and the electromagnet 451 is
fixed to the display support member 224 to face the electromagnet
452. The electromagnets 451 and 452 are supplied with electric
power from the display support member housing part 225 through
power lines not shown. Further, directions and strengths of
electric currents to the electromagnets 451 and 452 can be
controlled by the control unit 235 (FIG. 44: described below) in
the display support member housing part 225. Thus, it is possible
to control electromagnetic forces such that the electromagnets 451
and 452 attract or repel each other.
[0274] One end of the spring 453 is fixed to the spring fixing
member 224c on the display support member 224. The other end of the
spring 453 is fixed to the spring fixing member 403 on the shaft
member 402. When the pressing member 401 swings in the direction of
moving toward the display support member 224 (i.e. the direction of
the arrow B) around the pin 224b as the rotation axis, the spring
453 exercise its elastic force in the direction of canceling the
swinging (i.e. the direction of the arrow A).
[0275] The movement sensor 407 provided within the pressing member
401 comprises a gyro sensor. The movement sensor 407 detects a
change in movement of the head H in a state that the pressing
member 401 presses against the head H.
[0276] The head pressing detection sensor 250 is mounted on the
surface of the pressing member 401 at a portion that presses
against the head H.
[0277] Output of the movement sensor 407 and output of the head
pressing detection sensor 250 are sent to the control unit 235
provided in the display support member housing part 225 through
respective signal lines (FIG. 44).
[0278] In the present embodiment, when the pressing member 401 of
the auxiliary holding part 240 is at a position where the pressing
member 401 can press against the head H, that position is referred
to as a pressing position of the auxiliary holding part 240.
Further, when the pressing member 401 of the auxiliary holding part
240 is at a position where the pressing member 401 can not press
against the head H, that position is referred to as a retracted
position of the auxiliary holding part 240. The auxiliary holding
part 240 is provided in such a manner that the auxiliary holding
part 240 can swing between the pressing position and the retracted
position.
[0279] FIG. 44 is a circuit block diagram relating to
driving/control of the wearable display system.
[0280] The control unit 235 is connected with the display support
member position detection sensor 231, the holding part driving unit
232 and the mode selection switch 236 provided in the display
support member housing part 225, the movement sensor 407 and the
pressing force generation unit 245 placed in the auxiliary holding
part 240, the head pressing detection sensor 250, and the image
display unit 222, through respective signal lines. The control unit
235 sends and receives signals through those signal lines. Further,
based on the output S1 of the head pressing detection sensor 250,
the control unit 235 controls the pressing force generation unit
245 such that the pressing level stays within a predetermined
range. Further, based on the output S3 of the display support
member position detection sensor 231, the control unit 235 controls
the display support member driving motor of the holding part
driving unit 232 such that the display support member 224 is
positioned at the projecting position or the housed position.
[0281] Control and operation from the start of using the wearable
display system and to the end of using will be described in order.
In the following description, control signals between blocks will
not be mentioned and only data from each sensor will be
mentioned.
[0282] (1) The user U mounts the wearable display system of the
present embodiment on his head H.
[0283] (2) The user U selects either the electric operation mode or
the manual mode, using the mode selection switch 236.
[0284] When the electric operation mode is selected, (3) the
control unit 235 controls the holding part driving unit 232 to
drive the display support member 224 from the housed position to
the projecting position. As a result, the image display unit 222 is
held in front of an eye.
[0285] When the manual mode is selected, (4) the control unit 235
releases the stopper for the display support member 224. Here, the
stopper is provided in the holding part driving unit 232. (5) Then,
the user manually pulls the display support member 224 from the
housed position to the projecting position.
[0286] Parallel with the above step (3) or the steps (4) and (5),
the following steps (6)-(7) are performed
[0287] (6) The display support member position detection sensor 231
detects that the end 224d of the display support member 224 leaves
the innermost portion of the display support member housing part
225, and sends a display support member position detection signal
S3 to the control unit 235. (7) The control unit 235 receives the
display support member position detection signal S3 and controls
the pressing force generation unit 245 to displace the auxiliary
holding part 240 from the retracted position to the pressing
position.
[0288] Further, the following control/operation is performed.
[0289] (8) The control unit 235 activates the head pressing
detection sensor 250. (9) The control unit 235 activates the
movement sensor 407. (10) The pressing member 401 of the auxiliary
holding part 240 presses against the temporal part of the head H.
(11) The head pressing detection sensor 250 detects the pressing
level, and sends a head pressing detection signal S1 to the control
unit 235. (12) The control unit 235 receives the head pressing
detection signal S1. When the pressing level is in the
predetermined range, the control unit 235 makes the image display
unit 222 display an image. (13) Further, the control unit 235
controls the pressing force generation unit 245 such that the level
of the pressing force is maintained within the predetermined range.
In detail, the control unit 235 controls electric currents to the
pressing force generation unit 245 to adjust the electromagnetic
forces of the electromagnets 451 and 452.
[0290] When the user intends to end viewing of the image,
operation/control of the wearable display system becomes as
follows.
[0291] (14) When the user U returns the mode selection switch to
the position of the off mode, the control unit 235 makes the image
display unit 222 stop displaying the image. (15) The control unit
235 drives the pressing force generation unit 245 so that the
auxiliary holding part 240 moves from the pressing position to the
retracted position. (16) In the case where the user U has used the
electric operation mode, the control unit 235 drives the holding
part driving unit 232 so that the display support member 224 moves
from the projecting position to the housed position. In the case
where the user U has used the manual mode, the user U manually
moves the display support member 224 into the display support
member housing part 225. At that time, also the auxiliary holding
part 240 is housed in the display support member housing part
240.
[0292] It is possible to consider that the control unit 235 uses a
movement detection signal S2 of the movement sensor 407 to control
the pressing force generation unit 245. For example, based on the
movement detection signal S2 from the movement sensor 407, the
control unit 235 calculates a change in movement of the head H.
Then, according to the calculated change, the control unit 235 may
control the pressing force generation unit 245 such that the
pressing level of the pressing member 402 remains within the
predetermined range. Further, switching between the retracted
position and the pressing position of the auxiliary holding part
240 may be carried out manually. In that case, the manual operation
is carried out in a state that the mode selection switch 236 is at
the manual mode. Further, in the pressing force generation unit
245, one of the electromagnets 451 and 452 may be a magnetic body
such as iron. To put the auxiliary holding part 240 at the pressing
position, the electromagnetic force may be turned off and only the
elastic force of the spring 453 may be used. To put the auxiliary
holding part 240 at the retracted position, it is sufficient to
control the electromagnetic forces of the electromagnet such that
the electromagnetic force larger than the elastic force attracts
the magnetic body. Further, a lock mechanism may be provided for
keeping the retracted position.
[0293] As shown in FIG. 41, in the wearable display unit 220 of the
present embodiment, the auxiliary holding part 240 is provided to
the display support member 224 on the side of the display support
member housing part 225 at the position where the auxiliary holding
part 240 exists outside the field of vision of the user U when the
user U views the image on the image display unit 222. Thus, the
auxiliary holding part 240 rarely interrupts the field of vision of
the user U to an uncomfortable degree. Thus, the wearable display
system of the present embodiment does not spoil visibility of
surroundings.
[0294] The auxiliary holding part 240, the pressing force
generation unit 245 and structure of members required for
operations and the like of these components of the present
embodiment may be employed in the first through sixth and eighth
through eleventh embodiments.
Eighth Embodiment
[0295] Referring to FIGS. 45 and 46, will be described a wearable
display system of which the image display unit can be arranged near
a user's eye according to the eighth embodiment.
[0296] As shown in FIG. 45, in the present embodiment, an auxiliary
holding part 240 similar to the one of the seventh embodiment is
provided not on the display support member 224 but on the display
support member housing part 225. Accordingly, the holding member
224a, the pint 224b and the spring fixing member 224c are provided
not on the display support member 224 but on the display support
member housing part 225. Further, the electromagnet 451 of the
pressing force generation unit 245 is placed on the display support
member housing part 225. Also, one end of the spring 453 is fixed
to the display support member housing part 225. The other
structures are common to the seventh embodiment. Thus, the same
reference numbers are given to the common components. Further,
repeated description with respect to the common components and
their operation and control will be omitted. FIG. 45 shows a state
that the display support member 224 is in the projecting position
and the auxiliary holding part 240 provided swingably on the
display support member housing part 225 is in the pressing position
where the auxiliary holding part 240 presses against the temporal
part.
[0297] To mount the wearable display system, the following
operation will be carried out. (1) Depending on the mode selected
by the user U using the mode selection switch 236, the display
support member 224 is driven to the projecting position manually or
by the holding part driving unit 232 (the arrow A). (2) In that
process, the pressing force generation unit 245 operates according
to control similar to the control in the seventh embodiment. (3)
The auxiliary holding part 240 is positioned at the pressing
position where the pressing member 401 presses against the temporal
part of the head H (the arrow B).
[0298] FIG. 46 is a perspective view showing the external
appearance of the wearable display system of the present embodiment
in a state that the display support member 224 is at the housed
position. The auxiliary holding part 240 provided on the display
support member housing part 225 is at the retracted position.
[0299] To dismount the wearable display system, the following
operation will be carried out. (1) Depending on the mode selected
by the user U using the mode selection switch 236, the display
support member 224 is housed to the housed position manually or by
the holding part driving unit 232 (the arrow C). (2) In the process
of housing the display support member 224, the pressing force
generation unit 245 operates according to control similar to the
control in the seventh embodiment. (3) The auxiliary holding part
240 is positioned at the retracted position (the arrow D).
[0300] In the present embodiment, the auxiliary holding part 240
presses against the temporal part of the head H. However, it may be
arrange such that the auxiliary holding part 240 presses against
the left speaker 211b. Further, similarly to the first embodiment,
a change in movement of the head H may be detected by the movement
sensor 407. Then, pressing by the auxiliary holding part 240 may be
controlled depending on the change in movement of the head H.
Further, similarly to the seventh embodiment, switching between the
retracted position and the pressing position of the auxiliary
holding part 240 may be carried out manually. In that case, this
operation may be carried out under the manual mode selected by the
mode selection switch 236.
[0301] According to the eighth embodiment, the auxiliary holding
part 240 provided on the display support member housing part 225
presses against the temporal part of the head. As a result, the
auxiliary holding part 240 is positioned outside the field of
vision of the user U, and the auxiliary holding part 240 scarcely
enters the field of vision of the user U viewing the image. Thus,
the wearable display unit 220 of the present embodiment can
suppress movement of the image display unit 222 and improves
visibility of surroundings.
Ninth Embodiment
[0302] A wearable display system, the image display unit of which
can be arranged near a user's eye, of a ninth embodiment will be
described referring to FIGS. 47 and 48.
[0303] As shown in FIG. 47, in the present embodiment, an auxiliary
holding part 241 having a new mechanism is provided on the display
support member housing part 225. Further, the auxiliary holding
part 241 is in a pressing position where the auxiliary holding part
241 can press, before mounting the wearable display system on the
head. The other features of the present embodiment are common to
the second embodiment. Accordingly, the same reference numbers are
given to the common components. Further, repeated description with
respect to the common components and their operation will be
omitted. FIG. 47 shows a state that the display support member 224
is at the projecting position and the auxiliary holding part 241
provided on the display support member housing part 225 is at the
pressing position.
[0304] FIG. 48 is a cross section showing the auxiliary holding
part 241 at the pressing position and a part of the display support
member housing part 225.
[0305] The auxiliary holding part 241 comprises: a disk-shaped
pressing member 411; and a cylinder 412 that is connected to the
pressing member 411 at one end and has a cylinder-shaped hollow
portion 413. Further, an open end of the cylinder 412 is slidably
inserted into a hole that is provided in the display support member
housing part 225 and has a diameter nearly same as the diameter of
the cylinder 412. Further, the auxiliary holding part 241 has a
pressing force generation unit 245a.
[0306] The pressing force generation unit 245a has a spring 453.
The spring 453 has a diameter nearly same as the diameter of the
hollow portion 413. One end of the spring 453 is fixed to the
spring fixing portion 414 of the auxiliary holding part 241. The
other end of the spring 453 is fixed to a spring fixing portion 258
provided in the bottom of the hole of the display support member
housing part 225.
[0307] Elastic force of the spring 453 applied to the spring fixing
portion 414 of the auxiliary holding part 241 is adjusted such that
the auxiliary holding part 241 can keep the pressing position
irrespective of a posture of the wearable display system.
[0308] Operation/control of the wearable display system (FIG. 47)
are almost similar to those of the eighth embodiment except that
the auxiliary holding part 241 is at the pressing position already
before mounting the wearable display system on the head. Namely,
the user U mounts the wearable display system on his head H while
his head H is pressing back the auxiliary holding part 241
positioned at the pressing position. Mounting operation after that
is similar to the operation in the eighth embodiment except that
the auxiliary holding part 241 is always at the pressing position
where the auxiliary holding part 241 can press.
[0309] Here, it is possible to consider such an arrangement that an
electromagnet is provided on the bottom of the hole (FIG. 48) in
the display support member housing part 225 and a magnetic body
such as iron is provided at a part of the pressing member 411. In
this arrangement, to place the auxiliary holding part 241 at the
retracted position, the electromagnetic force attracts the pressing
member 411 to the electromagnet in the bottom of the hole against
the elastic force of the spring 453. Further, at least a part of
the auxiliary holding part 241 may be housed in the hole in the
display support member housing part 225. Further, to place the
auxiliary holding part 241 at the pressing position, it is
sufficient to turn off the electromagnetic force of the
electromagnet so that only the elastic force of the spring 453
makes the auxiliary holding part 241 project.
[0310] In the ninth embodiment, similarly to the eighth embodiment,
the auxiliary holding part 241 provided on the display support
member housing part 225 presses against the temporal part of the
head. As a result, the auxiliary holding part 241 is positioned
outside the field of vision of the user U, and the auxiliary
holding part 241 scarcely enters the field of vision of the user U
viewing the image. Thus, according to the wearable display unit of
the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress movement of the
image display unit 222 and to improve visibility of
surroundings.
[0311] FIG. 49 shows a first variant of the ninth embodiment. In
this first variant, an attachment 227 connects the display support
member housing part 225 not to the headphone arm 213 but to the
left speaker 211b. The other components and their operations are
similar to the ones in the ninth embodiment. Fixing structure of
this attachment 227 to the speaker 211b may be the above-described
structure shown in FIG. 39.
[0312] According to the first variant, the display support member
housing part 225 is connected to the left speaker 211b, and thus
the auxiliary holding part 241 scarcely enters the field of vision
of the user U viewing the image. Thus, according to the wearable
display unit of the present variant, it is possible to suppress
movement of the image display unit 222 and to improve visibility of
surroundings.
[0313] FIG. 50 shows a second variant of the ninth embodiment. In
this second variant, the auxiliary holding part 241 presses against
not the head H but the left speaker 211b. The other components and
their operations are similar to the one in the ninth
embodiment.
[0314] According to the second variant, the auxiliary holding part
241 presses against the head H through the left speaker 211b. As a
result, the auxiliary holding part 241 scarcely enters the field of
vision of the user U viewing the image. Thus, according to the
wearable display unit of the present variant, it is possible to
movement of the image display unit 222 and to improve visibility of
surroundings.
Tenth Embodiment
[0315] A tenth embodiment of a wearable display system of which the
image display unit can be arranged near a user's eye will be
described referring to FIGS. 51-54. FIG. 51 is a perspective view
showing the wearable display system of the present embodiment; FIG.
52 is a cutaway plan view showing main parts of the wearable
display system; FIG. 53 is a cross section taken along the A-A line
in FIG. 52.
[0316] As shown in FIG. 51, also the wearable display system of the
present embodiment comprises: headphones 210a and a wearable
display unit 220a similarly to the above-described embodiments.
[0317] The headphones 210a comprises: a right speaker 211a; a left
speaker 211b; and a headphone arm 213a that connects the right
speaker 211a and the left speaker 211b with each other. Differently
from the above-described embodiments, the headphone arm 213a is
curved in the respective neighborhoods of the speakers 211a and
211b, and these curved portions form earpieces 214.
[0318] Further, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the
wearable display unit 220a comprises: an image display unit 222; a
holding part 221; an attachment 227; and an auxiliary holding part
240a. As shown in FIG. 52, the wearable display unit 220a of the
present embodiment further comprises: a projection length
adjustment part 260 for adjusting the projection length of the
auxiliary holding part 240a; a distance adjustment part 265 for
adjusting the distance from the attachment 227 to the holding part
221; a joint 270 for fixing the holding part 221 swingably to the
attachment 227; and a spring coil 275 as a pressing force
generation means that generates a pressing force F at the auxiliary
holding part 240a.
[0319] On the side of the image display unit 222 of the display
support member housing part 225 of the holding part 221, is
provided a fixing part for fixing the auxiliary holding part 240a.
A shaft portion of the auxiliary holding part 240a of the present
embodiment is formed with a male screw 261. The fixing part of the
display support member housing part 225 is formed with a female
screw 262 into which the male screw 261 of the auxiliary holding
part 240a is screwed and coupled. The projection length adjustment
part 260 comprises the male screw 261 formed in the shaft portion
of the auxiliary holding part 240a and the female screw 262 formed
in the fixing part of the display support member housing part 225.
Thus, the auxiliary holding part 240a can change its projection
length in relation to the display support member housing part 225
by rotating its shaft portion.
[0320] As shown in FIGS. 52 and 53, the attachment 227 is formed
with a projection 227a that projects toward the holding part 221.
The distance adjustment part 265 comprises: a coupling recess 265b
that is coupled with the projection 227a of the attachment 227; and
a projection 265a that is similar in shape to the projection 227a
of the attachment 227. As shown in FIG. 54, by determining whether
the distance adjustment part 265 is used or not, or one or more
distance adjustment parts 265 should be used, or in other words, by
changing the number of the distance adjustment part 265 used in
layers, it is possible to adjust the distance from the attachment
227 to the holding part 221 at a connection part connecting the
attachment 227 and the holding part 221.
[0321] As shown in FIGS. 52 and 53, the joint 270 comprises: a
bearing member 271 that is coupled with the projection 227a of the
attachment or the projection 265a of the distance adjustment part
265; and a shaft member 272 that can be rotated in relation to the
bearing member 271. One end of the shaft member 272 is rotatably
received in the bearing member 271, and the other end is fixed to
the display support member housing part 225. Further, the shaft
member 272 is arranged to become almost parallel with the vertical
direction when the wearable display system of the present
embodiment is mounted on the head H. As a result, owing to this
joint 270, the holding part 221 can swing in the direction of
V.quadrature. with respect to the attachment 227 within a
horizontal plane in a state where the wearable display system of
the present embodiment is mounted oh the head H, or in other words
within a plane that includes the attachment 227 and the direction
of action of the pressing force F of the auxiliary holding part
240a.
[0322] As shown in FIG. 52, the spring coil 275 is placed on the
side of the image display unit, in relation to the shaft member 272
of the joint 270. One end of the spring coil 275 is fixed to the
bearing member 271 of the joint 270, and the other end is fixed to
the inside wall surface on the outer side of the display support
member housing part 225. The coil spring 275 is arranged in a
stretched state, and thus biases the holding part 221 as well as
the auxiliary holding part 240a provided on the holding part 221
toward the head H. As a result, owing to the spring 275, the
auxiliary holding part 240a maintains the pressing force F of
certain strength against the head H.
[0323] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it
is possible to incline the holding part 221 within the plane that
includes the direction of action of the pressing force F of the
auxiliary holding part 240a, i.e. a horizontal plane at the time of
using the wearable display unit, by changing the number of the
distance adjustment parts 265 and/or by rotating the auxiliary
holding part 240a. Thus, it is possible to adjust the position of
the image display unit 222 in the horizontal direction in relation
to the head H. In particular, by providing the projection length
adjustment part 260, it is possible to make fine adjustment of the
horizontal position of the image display unit 222 in relation to
the head H, even when the wearable display unit is mounted on the
head H and the pressing force F of the auxiliary holding part 240a
is acting.
[0324] The present embodiment is provided with both the distance
adjustment part 265 and the projection length adjustment part 260
in order to incline the holding part 221 within the plane including
the direction of action of the pressing force F of the auxiliary
holding part 240a. However, only one of these parts 265 and 260 may
be used. Here, it is necessary to prepare the distance adjustment
part(s) 265 in advance before using the wearable display unit. On
the other hand, the projection length adjustment part 260 can
change the inclination of the holding part 221 both before and in
course of using the wearable display unit. Thus, in the case where
one of these parts 265 and 260 is employed, it is favorable in the
present embodiment to provide only the projection length adjustment
part 260, i.e. one that can change the inclination of the holding
part 221 even when the wearable display unit is in use.
[0325] Further, the projection length adjustment part 260 of the
present embodiment employs the screw mechanism to adjust the
projection length of the auxiliary holding part 240a. However, for
example a cam mechanism or a mechanism using an electromagnet may
be employed as far as the projection length of the auxiliary
holding part 240 can be adjusted. Further, the present embodiment
employs the coil spring 275 as a pressing force generation means.
Of course, instead of the coil spring 275, another elastic member,
an electromagnet, or the like may be used. Further, the present
embodiment employs the distance adjustment part 265 as a distance
adjustment means. Instead, a screw mechanism may be employed
similarly to the case of the projection length adjustment part.
[0326] As described above, according to the seventh through tenth
embodiments, it is possible to provide a wearable display unit that
has improved visibility of surroundings. In particular, by
providing the auxiliary holding part on the holding part, it is
possible to improve the wearable display unit in its visibility of
surroundings, since the auxiliary holding part scarcely enters the
field of vision of the user.
[0327] In the seventh through tenth embodiments, the wearable
display unit is fixed to the left side of the headphones. However,
the wearable display unit may be fixed either left or right side of
the head, and it may be arranged that the control unit can suitably
switch the display image.
[0328] Further, it is not necessary to provide the power source in
the outside. For example, a battery may be provided in the display
support member housing part. Further, it may be arranged that
sound/picture signals are received wirelessly.
Eleventh Embodiment
[0329] An eleventh embodiment of a wearable display system of which
the image display unit can be arranged near a user's eye will be
described referring to FIGS. 55-58.
[0330] FIG. 55 is a perspective view showing a state that the
wearable display unit of the present embodiment is mounted on the
head; and FIG. 56 is a cutaway plan view showing main parts of the
wearable display unit in the mounted state.
[0331] The wearable display unit of the present embodiment
comprises: an image display unit 310 for displaying an image in
front of a user's eye; a head mounting belt 330 that is mounted on
a head of a user; an attachment 340 fixed to the head mounting belt
330; a holding part 320 whose one end is fixed to the image display
unit 310 while the other end extends up to a position opposed to
the attachment 340; and joint parts 351 and 355 for fixing the
holding part 320 swingably to the attachment 340.
[0332] In the present embodiment, the head mounting belt 330 is
headphones, and comprises: a pair of left and right speakers 331R
and 33aL; and a headphone arm 332 that connects the left and right
speakers 331R and 331L with each other. Further, the holding part
320 comprises: a display support member 321 whose one end is fixed
to the image display unit 310; and a display support member housing
part 322 for housing the display support member 321. The display
support member housing part 322 holds the display support member
321 such that the display support member 321 can be displaced
between a housed state in which the display support member 321 is
almost housed and a using state in which the image display unit 310
fixed at the end of the display support member 321 can be
positioned in front of a user's eye.
[0333] FIG. 57 is a cross section taken along the A-A line in FIG.
56.
[0334] Similarly to the first embodiment, the attachment 340 is
made of elastic material such as resin and is formed to have a
C-shaped cross section to grasp the headphone arm 332.
[0335] Here, for the sake of convenience of description in the
following, an axis in which the headphone arm 332 extends at the
position where the attachment 340 is mounted is referred to as the
Z-axis; an axis perpendicular to the Z-axis, extending in the
direction from the attachment 340 toward the side where the display
support member housing part 322 is provided, is referred to as the
H-axis; and an axis perpendicular both to the Z-axis and H-axis is
referred to as the V-axis. Further, the direction around the Z-axis
is referred to as Z.theta., the direction around the H-axis as
H.theta., and the direction around the V-axis as V.theta..
[0336] As shown in FIGS. 56 and 57, the attachment 340 comprises: a
first joint part 351 that indirectly supports the holding part 320
such that the holding part 320 can swing in relation to the
attachment 340 in the H.theta. direction; and a second joint part
355 that indirectly supports the holding part 320 such that the
holding part 320 can swing in relation to the attachment 340 in the
V.theta. direction.
[0337] The first joint part 351 comprises: a shaft member 352 that
extends from the attachment 340 in the direction parallel with the
H-axis; a bearing member 353a that support the shaft member 352 in
a relatively rotatable manner around the H-axis. Further, the
second joint part 355 comprises: a shaft member 356 that extends in
the direction parallel with the V-axis within the display support
member housing part 322 of the holding part 320; and a bearing
member 353b that supports the shaft member 356 in a relatively
rotatable manner around the V-axis. The bearing member 353a of the
first joint part 351 and the bearing member 353b of the second
joint part 355 are the same bearing member 353. The torque required
for the bearing member 353a to rotate around the H-axis relatively
to the shaft member 352 of the first joint part 351 is larger than
the torque required for the bearing member 353b to rotate around
the V-axis relatively to the shaft member 356 of the second joint
part 353. Namely, as shown in FIG. 55, the torque required for the
image display unit 310 to swing around the H-axis in the direction
including vertical direction is larger than the torque required for
the image display unit 310 to swing around the V-axis in the
direction including horizontal direction. Thus, the torque around
the H-axis is determined such that the image display unit 310 does
not easily move down by rotating around the H-axis owing to its own
weight or owing to vertical movement of the head. On the other
hand, the swinging torque required for the image display unit 310
to swing around the V-axis in the direction including the
horizontal direction is determined such that the image display unit
310 does not easily rotate around the V-axis only owing to swing of
the head in the horizontal direction. In the present embodiment, to
differentiate the torque in the joint part 351 and the torque in
the joint part 355, materials of the sliding parts of each joint
part are selected such that the coefficient of friction between the
shaft member 352 and the bearing member 353a of the first joint
part 351 is different from the coefficient of friction between the
shaft member 356 and the bearing member 353b of the second joint
part.
[0338] As described above, in the present embodiment, the torque
required for swinging the holding part 320 around the H-axis is
relatively large. As a result, after the vertical position of the
image display unit 310 fixed to the holding part 320 is once
adjusted, the image display unit 310 does not happen to move
relatively to the head owing to the weight of the image display
unit 310 itself or owing to swinging of the head. Further, the
torque required for swinging the holding part 320 around the V-axis
is relatively small, and thus the horizontal position of the image
display unit 310 fixed to the holding part 320 can be easily
adjusted. Further, in the present embodiment, the attachment 340
can be rotated in relation to the headphone arm 332 around the
Z-axis, it is possible to adjust the position of the image display
unit 310 around the Z-axis, i.e. to adjust the inclination of the
screen of the image display unit 310.
[0339] Further, in the present embodiment, multiple joint parts are
gathered at the end portion of the holding part 320. Thus, simple
operation can move the image display unit 310 in various
directions. For example, if a first joint part for moving the image
display unit 310 vertically were provided between the holding part
320 and the attachment 340 and a second joint part for moving the
image display unit 310 horizontally were provided in the mid
portion of the holding part 320, then one joint part might be fixed
not to move in the course of operating the other joint part. On the
other hand, in the present embodiment, operation of fixing one of a
plurality of joint parts is not necessary when the image display
unit 310 is moved, similarly to a joint part having a spherical
seat that enables movement in various directions as shown in the
technique described in Patent Document 3 mentioned as the
background technique above.
[0340] As in the above embodiment, as a method of making the torque
of one joint part 351 larger than the torque of the other joint
part 355 among a plurality of joint parts 351, 355, there is a
method of selecting materials of shaft members 351, 356 and bearing
members 353. As another method, may be mentioned a method of
interposing a torque adjustment member 357 such as an O-ring as
shown in FIG. 58, or a method of forming a plurality of notches in
one of a shaft member 51 and a bearing member 53 to change the
coefficient of friction.
[0341] Further, in the above embodiment, as the first joint part
351, a shaft member 352 is formed in the attachment 340. However,
the attachment 340 may be formed with a bearing member. Further, as
the second joint part 355, the shaft member 356 is fixed to the
display support member holding part 322 of the holding part 320.
However, a bearing member may be provided in the display support
member holding part 322. In that case, a member common to the first
and second joint parts becomes a shaft member that couples both
into the bearing member of the first joint part and into the
bearing member of the second joint part.
[0342] Further, in the above embodiment, the attachment can be
coupled to and removed from the headphone arm 322 of the head
mounting belt 330. However, an attachment that can not be removed
from the headphone arm 332 may be used.
[0343] Further, of course, the displacement mechanism having a
plurality of joint parts 351, 355, which is described in the
present embodiment, may be applied to the first through tenth
embodiments and the variants of those embodiments, giving the
similar effects.
* * * * *
References