Waveguide module and augmented reality device

Abstract

The present application provides a waveguide module and an augmented reality device. The waveguide module of the present application includes: an optical waveguide for transmitting an optical signal incident on the optical waveguide; a first protective lens spaced apart from one side of the optical waveguide for protecting the optical waveguide; a first elastic protective film disposed on the side of the first protective lens facing away from the optical waveguide; a second protective lens spaced apart from the side of the optical waveguide facing away from the first protective lens for protecting the optical waveguide; and a second elastic protective film disposed on the side of the second protective lens facing away from the optical waveguide. The waveguide module of the present application can reduce or even prevent the display screen or image from becoming blurred and the clarity from decreasing when the waveguide module is bent under force, and has a relatively high service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of augmented reality technology, and in particular to a waveguide module and an augmented reality device. Background Art

[0002] Augmented reality (AR) technology can combine virtuality with reality and is now being used more and more widely. Optical waveguides are essential components of augmented reality devices. Existing optical waveguides are mostly made of glass, which has a high density and a heavy load on the bridge of the nose, which is not user-friendly. In addition, because glass is brittle, the mechanical reliability of glass substrate optical waveguides is poor, and they are very fragile when dropped, and the glass breaks into sharp glass slag, which is dangerous. In order to better improve the drop resistance of optical waveguides and reduce weight, optical waveguides made of resin materials have emerged. In order to better protect the grating layer of the optical waveguide and make it waterproof and dustproof, an inner protective layer is set on the inner side of the optical waveguide and an outer protective layer is set on the outer side. The inner protective layer and the outer protective layer are bonded to the optical waveguide through a rubber frame to form a waveguide module. However, the rigidity of the resin is poor and it is easy to bend and deform under the action of external force, thereby affecting the clarity of the image displayed by the waveguide module. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a waveguide module, which can reduce or even prevent the display screen or image from becoming blurred and the clarity from being reduced when the waveguide module is bent under force, and has a longer service life.

[0004] A first aspect of the present application provides a waveguide module, comprising:

[0005] An optical waveguide, used for transmitting an optical signal incident into the optical waveguide;

[0006] A first protective lens, the first protective lens is spaced apart and arranged on one side of the optical waveguide, and is used to protect the optical waveguide;

[0007] a first elastic protective film, the first elastic protective film being arranged on a side of the first protective lens away from the optical waveguide;

[0008] a second protective lens, the second protective lens being spaced apart and disposed on a side of the optical waveguide away from the first protective lens, for protecting the optical waveguide; and

[0009] A second elastic protective film is arranged on a side of the second protective lens away from the optical waveguide.

[0010] A second aspect of the present application provides an augmented reality device, comprising:

[0011] A projection optical machine, which is used to project an optical signal, and the optical signal includes image information;

[0012] The waveguide module according to the embodiment of the present application, which is used to transmit the optical signal; and

[0013] A processor, which is electrically connected to the projection optical machine and is used to control the projection optical machine to project the optical signal.

[0014] The waveguide module of the embodiment of the present application includes a first elastic protective film, a first protective lens, an optical waveguide, a second protective lens, and a second elastic protective film which are stacked. During the assembly or use of the waveguide module, when the optical waveguide is deformed by an external force, the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film will also undergo elastic deformation. Since the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film are in a taut state themselves, when the waveguide module is bent and deformed, a large elastic restoring force will be generated; when the external force disappears, the elastic restoring force generated by the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film drives the waveguide module to return to the initial state (i.e., the undeformed state or the planar state), thereby avoiding the bending deformation of the waveguide module and the risk of a decrease in the clarity of the picture or image displayed by the waveguide module. Even if the external force does not disappear, the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film can also prevent the waveguide module from continuing to undergo large deformations, reduce the blurring degree of the display picture of the waveguide module, and make the decrease in clarity relatively small. In addition, the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film can respectively also protect the first protective lens and the second protective lens, preventing the first protective lens and the second protective lens from being scratched. When the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film are damaged or scratched, only the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film need to be replaced. Compared with replacing the first protective lens and the second protective lens, the replacement difficulty of the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film is smaller and the cost is lower. Description of the Drawings

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required to be used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a top view structural schematic diagram of the waveguide module of an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 The sectional view structural schematic diagram of the waveguide module of an embodiment of the present application in the A-A direction in

[0018] Figure 3It is a schematic structural diagram of a waveguide module in an embodiment of the present application being bent by an external force and returning to its initial state after the external force disappears.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a top view structural schematic diagram of an optical waveguide in an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a top view structural schematic diagram of an optical waveguide in another embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an augmented reality device in an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 7 It is in an embodiment of the present application for the augmented reality device along Figure 6 The cross-sectional structural schematic diagram in the B-B direction in.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a circuit block diagram of an augmented reality device in an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 9 It is a partial front view of an augmented reality device in an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 10 It is in an embodiment of the present application for the augmented reality device along Figure 9 The cross-sectional structural schematic diagram in the C-C direction in.

[0026] Figure 11 It is Figure 10 An exploded view of the carrier in the embodiment.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0028] 100 - Waveguide module, 10 - Optical waveguide, 11 - Light conduction layer, 12 - Coupling grating, 13 - Output grating, 14 - Turning grating, 20 - First protective lens, 30 - First elastic protective film, 31 - First mounting part, 33 - First bonding part, 40 - Second protective lens, 50 - Second elastic protective film, 51 - Second mounting part, 53 - Second bonding part, 60 - First adhesive, 70 - Second adhesive, 200 - Augmented reality device, 210 - Projection optical machine, 211 - Display, 213 - Lens, 220 - Carrier, 221 - First carrier sub-component, 2211 - First surface, 2213 - Second surface, 2212 - First hole, 2214 - Second hole, 2216 - Third hole, 223 - Second carrier sub-component, 2231 - First light passing hole, 225 - Third carrier sub-component, 2251 - Second light passing hole, 230 - Wearing part, 231 - First wearing sub-component, 233 - Second wearing sub-component, 240 - Processor, 260 - Memory. Detailed implementation manners

[0029] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned accompanying drawings are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order. In addition, the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally further includes steps or units not listed, or optionally further includes other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0031] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0032] It should be noted that, for the convenience of description, in the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and for the sake of brevity, in different embodiments, the detailed description of the same components is omitted.

[0033] Augmented reality is a technology that provides users with enhanced reality perception by superimposing computer-generated images onto real-world images and then inputting them into the human eye. It has been increasingly widely used at present. An optical waveguide is a medium device that guides light waves to propagate therein and is an essential component of augmented reality devices. Optical waveguides include geometric optical waveguides and diffractive optical waveguides. Compared with geometric optical waveguides, the gratings of diffractive optical waveguides have higher flexibility in design and production, higher mass production feasibility and yield, and thus are more widely used. For example, the diffractive optical waveguide solution of AR glasses is a mainstream technical solution because its optical lenses are thin and light, the appearance is closer to that of traditional glasses, and the implementation method is more convenient and easier to mass produce. Diffractive optical waveguides can be further divided into surface relief gratings and volume holographic gratings.

[0034] An optical waveguide made of glass material has poor anti-drop ability and is prone to break when dropped. Although a protective layer (such as chemically strengthened glass or sapphire) is attached to each of the opposite surfaces of the glass optical waveguide using a glue frame, it can improve the protection of the optical waveguide to a certain extent. However, the anti-drop ability of the entire waveguide module is still poor, and the glass optical waveguide is relatively heavy, resulting in a high overall weight of the device when applied to augmented reality devices, which is not conducive to long-term wearing. To address the above problems, a resin optical waveguide can be used instead of the glass optical waveguide, and a resin protective layer can be used instead of the glass protective layer. This can not only significantly reduce the weight of the waveguide module (the weight can be reduced by more than 50%), but also solve the problem of the optical waveguide being easily broken when dropped. When the optical waveguide is in a planar state, the image displayed on the optical waveguide is very clear and the clarity (i.e., MTF) is very high. However, the resin has poor stiffness and is prone to bending deformation under external forces, which greatly reduces the clarity of the image or picture displayed by the waveguide module (i.e., the MTF decreases), affecting the use of the waveguide module. In addition, the resin protective layer has poor wear resistance and is prone to scratching and generating scratches after a period of use, which affects the service life of the protective layer and thus the service life of the augmented reality device, increasing the cost of the augmented reality device.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in FIGS. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , an embodiment of the present application provides a waveguide module 100, which includes an optical waveguide 10, a first protective lens 20, a first elastic protective film 30, a second protective lens 40, and a second elastic protective film 50. The first protective lens 20 is disposed at an interval on one side of the optical waveguide 10 for protecting the optical waveguide 10; the first elastic protective film 30 is disposed on the side of the first protective lens 20 facing away from the optical waveguide 10 and is detachably attached to the first protective lens 20; the second protective lens 40 is disposed at an interval on the side of the optical waveguide 10 facing away from the first protective lens 20 for protecting the optical waveguide 10; the second elastic protective film 50 is disposed on the side of the second protective lens 40 facing away from the optical waveguide 10 and is detachably attached to the second protective lens 40.

[0036] The waveguide module 100 of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to augmented reality devices, and the augmented reality devices of the embodiment of the present application can be, but are not limited to, near-eye display systems such as augmented reality glasses, augmented reality helmets, and augmented reality masks.

[0037] Optionally, the optical waveguide 10, the first protective lens 20, and the second protective lens 40 are assembled into one body through a glue frame or the like, and the first elastic protective film 30 and the first protective lens 20 are separable or detachable, and the second elastic protective film 50 and the second protective lens 40 are separable or detachable.

[0038] Understandably, the first elastic protective film 30, the first protective lens 20, the optical waveguide 10, the second protective lens 40, and the second elastic protective film 50 are stacked in sequence.

[0039] Optionally, the first elastic protective film 30 is disposed closely or adjacent to the first protective lens 20 and is separable from the first protective lens 20; in other words, the first elastic protective film 30 abuts against the first protective lens 20. The second elastic protective film 50 is disposed closely or adjacent to the second protective lens 40 and is separable from the second protective lens 40; in other words, the second elastic protective film 50 abuts against the second protective lens 40.

[0040] Understandably, when the waveguide module 100 is applied to an augmented reality device, both the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are in a tensioned state.

[0041] The waveguide module 100 according to the embodiment of the present application includes a first elastic protective film 30, a first protective lens 20, an optical waveguide 10, a second protective lens 40, and a second elastic protective film 50 that are stacked. As Figure 3 shown, during the assembly or use of the waveguide module 100, when the optical waveguide 10 is deformed by an external force, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 will also undergo elastic deformation. Since the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are themselves in a tensioned state, when the waveguide module 100 is bent and deformed, a large elastic restoring force will be generated; when the external force disappears, the elastic restoring forces generated by the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 drive the waveguide module 100 to return to the initial state (i.e., the undeformed state or the planar state), thereby avoiding the bending deformation of the waveguide module 100 (or the optical waveguide 10) and the risk of a decrease in the clarity of the picture or image displayed by the waveguide module 100. Even if the external force does not disappear, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 can also prevent the waveguide module 100 from continuing to undergo large deformations, reduce the blurring degree of the display picture of the waveguide module 100, and make the decrease in clarity relatively small. In addition, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 can respectively protect the first protective lens 20 and the second protective lens 40, preventing the first protective lens 20 and the second protective lens 40 from being scratched. When the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are damaged or scratched, only the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 need to be replaced. Compared with replacing the first protective lens 20 and the second protective lens 40, the replacement of the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 is more difficult and the cost is lower.

[0042] In some embodiments, the waveguide module 100 further includes a first adhesive member 60 and a second adhesive member 70; the first adhesive member 60 is disposed between the optical waveguide 10 and the first protective lens 20 and is disposed around the outer periphery of the optical waveguide 10 for bonding the first protective lens 20 to the optical waveguide 10; the second adhesive member 70 is disposed between the optical waveguide 10 and the second protective lens 40 and is disposed around the outer periphery of the optical waveguide 10 for bonding the second protective lens 40 to the optical waveguide 10.

[0043] Optionally, both the first adhesive member 60 and the second adhesive member 70 are in a middle frame structure or an annular structure. Optionally, the first adhesive member 60 may be, but is not limited to, a glue frame; the second adhesive member 70 may be, but is not limited to, a glue frame.

[0044] Optionally, the first protective lens 20 may be transparent or semi-transparent (such as black, brown, gray, etc.). Optionally, the material of the first protective lens 20 may be, but is not limited to, at least one of resins such as polymethyl methacrylate and polycarbonate. Optionally, the thickness of the first protective lens 20 may be from 0.3 mm to 1 mm; specifically, it may be, but is not limited to, 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1 mm, etc. If the first protective lens 20 is too thin, it cannot provide sufficient protection for the optical waveguide 10; if the first protective lens 20 is too thick, it increases the thickness of the waveguide module 100, which is not conducive to the thin and light design of the waveguide module 100.

[0045] In the embodiments of the present application, when it comes to the numerical range from a to b, unless otherwise specified, it means that the numerical value can be any value between a and b, including the endpoint values a and b.

[0046] Optionally, the second protective lens 40 may be transparent or semi-transparent (such as black, brown, gray, etc.). Optionally, the material of the second protective lens 40 may be, but is not limited to, at least one of resins such as polymethyl methacrylate and polycarbonate. Optionally, the thickness of the second protective lens 40 may be from 0.3 mm to 1 mm; specifically, it may be, but is not limited to, 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1 mm, etc. If the second protective lens 40 is too thin, it cannot provide sufficient protection for the optical waveguide 10; if the second protective lens 40 is too thick, it increases the thickness of the waveguide module 100, which is not conducive to the thin and light design of the waveguide module 100.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 4, in some embodiments, the optical waveguide 10 includes an optical conduction layer 11, an input grating 12, and an output grating 13; the input grating 12 and the output grating 13 are spaced apart on the same surface of the optical conduction layer 11; the optical conduction layer 11 is configured to transmit an optical signal entering the optical conduction layer 11; the input grating 12 is configured to couple the optical signal into the optical conduction layer 11, and the output grating 13 is configured to couple the optical signal transmitted through the optical conduction layer 11 out of the optical waveguide 10.

[0048] Optionally, the input grating 12 may be, but is not limited to, one of a binary grating, a tilted grating, a blazed grating, a two-dimensional grating, etc. The output grating 13 may be, but is not limited to, one of a binary grating, a tilted grating, a blazed grating, a two-dimensional grating, etc. The types of the input grating 12 and the output grating 13 may be the same or different.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 5 , in some other embodiments, the optical waveguide 10 further includes a turning grating 14, and the turning grating 14 is configured to expand the pupil of the image information in the optical signal. The turning grating 14, the input grating 12, and the output grating 13 are respectively spaced apart on the same side of the optical conduction layer 11. When the optical waveguide 10 further includes the turning grating 14, the optical signal coupled into the optical conduction layer 11 by the input grating 12 is first expanded by the turning grating 14 and then coupled out of the optical waveguide 10 by the output grating 13. Optionally, the turning grating 14 may be, but is not limited to, one of a binary grating, a tilted grating, a blazed grating, a two-dimensional grating, etc. The types of the turning grating 14, the input grating 12, and the output grating 13 may be the same or different.

[0050] Optionally, the optical waveguide 10 may be made of a resin material. Specifically, the optical waveguide 10 may be made of a thermosetting resin material or a thermoplastic resin material.

[0051] Optionally, when the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are assembled on the augmented reality device and the optical waveguide 10 is in a planar state (that is, at this time the waveguide module 100 is installed on the augmented reality device, but when not subjected to external force), both the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are in a stretched state. The first elastic protective film 30 has a first elongation rate, and the first elongation rate is less than the elongation at break of the first elastic protective film 30; the second elastic protective film 50 has a second elongation rate, and the second elongation rate is less than the elongation at break of the second elastic protective film 50. In this way, when the waveguide module 100 is in the initial state, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are stretched to a certain extent and have a preset elastic restoring force. When the waveguide module 100 is bent and deformed under external force, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 can undergo greater elastic deformation, so as to have a greater elastic restoring force, which can better avoid the problem of the clarity of the picture or image caused by the bending of the waveguide module 100.

[0052] It can be understood that after the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are assembled, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are in a stretched state, not a relaxed state.

[0053] Optionally, the range of the first elongation rate is 5% to 15%; specifically, the first elongation rate can be, but is not limited to, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, etc. If the first elongation rate is too long, after a period of use, the first elastic protective film 30 is prone to fatigue. When the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the resilience of the first elastic protective film 30 is reduced, and it is difficult to make the waveguide module 100 return to the planar state; if the first elongation rate is too short, when the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the deformation of the first elastic protective film 30 is insufficient, and the resilience is too small, making it difficult to make the waveguide module 100 return to the planar state.

[0054] Optionally, the ratio of the first elongation rate to the elongation at break of the first elastic protective film 30 ranges from 5% to 30%. Specifically, the ratio of the first elongation rate to the elongation at break of the first elastic protective film 30 can be, but is not limited to, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 22%, 25%, 28%, 30%, etc. If the first elongation rate is too long, after a period of use, the first elastic protective film 30 is prone to fatigue. When the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the resilience of the first elastic protective film 30 is reduced, making it difficult for the waveguide module 100 to return to the planar state. If the first elongation rate is too short, when the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the deformation of the first elastic protective film 30 is insufficient and the resilience is too small, making it difficult for the waveguide module 100 to return to the planar state.

[0055] Optionally, the range of the second elongation rate is 5% to 15%; specifically, the second elongation rate can be, but is not limited to, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, etc. If the second elongation rate is too long, after a period of use, the second elastic protective film 50 is prone to fatigue. When the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the resilience of the second elastic protective film 50 is reduced, making it difficult for the waveguide module 100 to return to the planar state. If the second elongation rate is too short, when the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the deformation of the second elastic protective film 50 is insufficient and the resilience is too small, making it difficult for the waveguide module 100 to return to the planar state.

[0056] Optionally, the second elongation rate is 5% to 30% of the elongation at break of the second elastic protective film 50. Specifically, the ratio of the second elongation rate to the elongation at break of the second elastic protective film 50 can be, but is not limited to, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 22%, 25%, 28%, 30%, etc. If the second elongation rate is too long, after a period of use, the second elastic protective film 50 is prone to fatigue. When the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the resilience of the second elastic protective film 50 is reduced, making it difficult for the waveguide module 100 to return to the planar state. If the second elongation rate is too short, when the waveguide module 100 is bent under force, the deformation of the second elastic protective film 50 is insufficient and the resilience is too small, making it difficult for the waveguide module 100 to return to the planar state.

[0057] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus E1 of the first elastic protective film 30 ranges from 1 GPa ≤ E1 ≤ 10 GPa. Further, the elastic modulus E1 of the first elastic protective film 30 ranges from 5 GPa ≤ E1 ≤ 8 Pa. Specifically, the elastic modulus E1 of the first elastic protective film 30 can be, but is not limited to, 1 GPa, 1.5 GPa, 2 GPa, 2.5 GPa, 3 GPa, 4 GPa, 5 GPa, 6 GPa, 7 GPa, 8 GPa, 9 GPa, 10 GPa. The larger the elastic modulus of the first elastic protective film 30, the better, but materials with too high an elastic modulus usually have a lower light transmittance; if the elastic modulus of the first elastic protective film 30 is too small, it is difficult to rebound after the protective lens is deformed, easily leading to the failure of the first elastic protective film 30.

[0058] Optionally, the thickness d1 of the first elastic protective film 30 ranges from 0.1 mm ≤ d1 ≤ 0.3 mm. Specifically, the thickness d1 of the first elastic protective film 30 can be, but is not limited to, 0.1 mm, 0.12 mm, 0.14 mm, 0.16 mm, 0.18 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.22 mm, 0.24 mm, 0.26 mm, 0.28 mm, 0.3 mm, etc. When the thickness of the first elastic protective film 30 is too thick, the thickness of the waveguide module 100 is too large, affecting the appearance of the waveguide module 100; when the thickness of the first elastic protective film 30 is too thin, the resilience of the first elastic protective film 30 is insufficient, and it is difficult to rebound when the protective lens or the waveguide module 100 deforms.

[0059] Optionally, the material of the first elastic protective film 30 can be, but is not limited to, at least one of materials with high elasticity and high light transmittance such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc.

[0060] Optionally, the first elastic protective film 30 is light-transmissive, and the light transmittance of the first elastic protective film 30 is greater than or equal to 90%. Further, the light transmittance of the first elastic protective film 30 is greater than or equal to 95%. Specifically, the light transmittance of the first elastic protective film 30 can be, but is not limited to, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, etc. When the elastic modulus is sufficient, the higher the light transmittance of the first elastic protective film 30, the better.

[0061] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus E2 of the second elastic protective film 50 ranges from 1 GPa ≤ E2 ≤ 10 GPa. Further, the elastic modulus E2 of the second elastic protective film 50 ranges from 5 GPa ≤ E2 ≤ 8 Pa. Specifically, the elastic modulus E2 of the second elastic protective film 50 can be, but is not limited to, 1 GPa, 1.5 GPa, 2 GPa, 2.5 GPa, 3 GPa, 4 GPa, 5 GPa, 6 GPa, 7 GPa, 8 GPa, 9 GPa, 10 GPa. The larger the elastic modulus of the second elastic protective film 50, the better. However, materials with too high an elastic modulus usually have a lower light transmittance. If the elastic modulus of the second elastic protective film 50 is too small, it is difficult to rebound after the protective lens is deformed, easily causing the second elastic protective film 50 to fail.

[0062] Optionally, the thickness d2 of the second elastic protective film 50 ranges from 0.1 mm ≤ d2 ≤ 0.3 mm. Specifically, the thickness d2 of the second elastic protective film 50 can be, but is not limited to, 0.1 mm, 0.12 mm, 0.14 mm, 0.16 mm, 0.18 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.22 mm, 0.24 mm, 0.26 mm, 0.28 mm, 0.3 mm, etc. When the thickness of the second elastic protective film 50 is too thick, the thickness of the waveguide module 100 is too large, affecting the appearance of the waveguide module 100. When the thickness of the second elastic protective film 50 is too thin, the resilience of the second elastic protective film 50 is insufficient, and it is difficult to rebound when the protective lens or the waveguide module 100 is deformed.

[0063] Optionally, the material of the second elastic protective film 50 can be, but is not limited to, at least one of materials with high elasticity and high light transmittance such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc.

[0064] Optionally, the second elastic protective film 50 is light-transmissive, and the light transmittance of the second elastic protective film 50 is greater than or equal to 90%. Further, the light transmittance of the second elastic protective film 50 is greater than or equal to 95%. Specifically, the light transmittance of the second elastic protective film 50 can be, but is not limited to, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, etc. When the elastic modulus is sufficient, the higher the light transmittance of the second elastic protective film 50, the better.

[0065] Please refer to Figures 6 to 8, an embodiment of the present application further provides an augmented reality device 200, which includes a projection optical engine 210, the waveguide module 100 of the above embodiment of the present application, and a processor 240. The projection optical engine 210 is configured to project an optical signal, and the optical signal includes image information; the waveguide module 100 is configured to transmit the optical signal; the processor 240 is electrically connected to the projection optical engine 210 and is configured to control the projection optical engine 210 to project the optical signal, so as to display image information.

[0066] The augmented reality device 200 of the embodiment of the present application may be, but is not limited to, a near-eye display system such as augmented reality glasses, augmented reality helmets, and augmented reality masks. In the drawings of the present application, the augmented reality device 200 is schematically shown by taking augmented reality glasses as an example, and should not be construed as a limitation on the augmented reality device 200 of the present application, nor should it be construed as a limitation on the waveguide module 100 of the present application.

[0067] For a detailed description of the waveguide module 100, please refer to the description of the corresponding part of the above embodiment, and details will not be repeated here.

[0068] The augmented reality device 200 of the embodiment of the present application includes a waveguide module 100. The waveguide module 100 includes a first elastic protective film 30 and a second elastic protective film 50 located on opposite sides of the optical waveguide 10. During the assembly or use of the waveguide module 100, when the optical waveguide 10 is deformed by an external force, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 will also undergo elastic deformation. Since the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are themselves in a tensioned state, when the waveguide module 100 undergoes bending deformation, a large elastic restoring force will be generated; when the external force disappears, the elastic restoring force generated by the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 drives the waveguide module 100 to return to the initial state (i.e., the undeformed state or the planar state), thereby avoiding the bending deformation of the waveguide module 100 and the risk of a decrease in the clarity of the picture or image displayed by the waveguide module 100. Even if the external force does not disappear, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 can also prevent the waveguide module 100 from continuing to undergo large deformations, reduce the blurring degree of the picture displayed by the waveguide module 100, and make the decrease in clarity relatively small. In addition, the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 can respectively protect the first protective lens 20 and the second protective lens 40 from being scratched. When the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are damaged or scratched, only the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 need to be replaced, and the cost is greatly reduced compared with replacing the first protective lens 20 and the second protective lens 40.

[0069] Optionally, the projection optical machine 210 includes a display 211 and a lens 213. The display 211 is electrically connected to the processor 240 and is configured to emit an optical signal with image information under the control of the processor 240; the lens 213 is disposed on the display surface side of the display 211 and is configured to modulate the optical signal, so that the light rays (optical signals) with different field of view angles emitted from the same pixel point on the display 211 are emitted in the form of parallel light after being modulated by the lens 213, so as to present the image information in the optical signal at an infinite distance, so that it can be viewed by the naked eye. The waveguide module 100 is disposed on the side of the lens 213 away from the display 211 and is configured to transmit the optical signal modulated by the lens 213.

[0070] In one embodiment, the input grating 12 and the output grating 13 of the optical waveguide 10 are disposed away from the projection optical machine 210. In another embodiment, the input grating 12 and the output grating 13 of the optical waveguide 10 are disposed facing the projection optical machine 210.

[0071] In some embodiments, the waveguide module 100 can also expand the pupil of the image information in the optical signal emitted by the lens 213 in one dimension or two dimensions, so as to increase the range of the moving eye socket, thereby accommodating more people.

[0072] Optionally, the processor 240 includes one or more general-purpose processors. Among them, the general-purpose processor can be any type of device capable of processing electronic instructions, including a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a main processor, a controller, and an ASIC, etc. The processor 240 is configured to execute various types of digital storage instructions, such as software or firmware programs stored in the memory, and it can enable the computing device to provide a wide variety of services.

[0073] Optionally, the augmented reality device 200 of the embodiment of the present application further includes a memory 260. The memory 260 is electrically connected to the processor 240 and is configured to store the program code required for the operation of the processor 240, the program code required for controlling the display 211, the image information emitted by the display 211, etc.

[0074] Optionally, the memory 260 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM); the memory 260 may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory (FM), hard disk drive (HDD), or solid-state drive (SSD). The memory 260 may also include a combination of the above types of memory.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 6 , in some embodiments, the augmented reality device 200 further includes a carrier 220 for carrying the waveguide module 100, the optical waveguide 10, the first protective lens 20, and the second protective lens 40 are assembled with the carrier 220 as a whole, and the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 are both detachably fixed to the carrier 220. By providing the carrier 220 and detachably fixing the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 to the carrier 220, it is convenient to replace the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 after at least one of the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50 is scratched or damaged. The structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0076] Please refer to Figures 9 to 11In some embodiments, the supporting component 220 includes a first supporting component 221, a second supporting component 223 and a third supporting component 225. The second supporting component 223 and the third supporting component 225 are stacked and spaced apart. The first supporting component 221 surrounds the second supporting component 223 and is arranged around the periphery of the third supporting component 225. The first supporting component 221 is used to install the optical waveguide 10, the first protective lens 20 and the second protective lens 40. The first supporting component 221 and the second supporting component 223 are interference fit for detachably fixing the first elastic protective film 30. The first supporting component 221 and the third supporting component 225 are interference fit for detachably fixing the second elastic protective film 50. By setting three bearing sub-components, and using the interference fit between the first bearing sub-component 221 and the second bearing sub-component 223 to detachably fix the first elastic protective film 30, and using the interference fit between the first bearing sub-component 221 and the third bearing sub-component 225 to detachably fix the second elastic protective film 50, when the first elastic protective film 30 (or the second elastic protective film 50) needs to be replaced, only the second bearing sub-component 223 (or the third bearing sub-component 225) needs to be removed to remove the first elastic protective film 30 (or the second elastic protective film 50); During installation, one only needs to tighten the first elastic protective membrane 30 (or the second elastic protective membrane 50) and place it on one side of the first bearing sub-component 221, set the second bearing sub-component 223 (or the third bearing sub-component 225) on the side of the first elastic protective membrane 30 (or the second elastic protective membrane 50) away from the first bearing sub-component 221, and snap the second bearing sub-component 223 (or the third bearing sub-component 225) into the first bearing sub-component 221 to fix the first elastic protective membrane 30 (or the second elastic protective membrane 50) to the first bearing sub-component 221. The structure is simple and the disassembly and assembly method is easy.

[0077] Optionally, the first carrier member 221 has a first surface 2211 and a second surface 2213 disposed opposite to each other. The first carrier member 221 further has a first hole 2212, a second hole 2214, and a third hole 2216 that are arranged in sequence and communicate with each other along the arrangement direction of the first surface 2211 and the second surface 2213. The first hole 2212 penetrates the first surface 2211, and the third hole 2216 penetrates the second surface 2213. The first hole 2212, the second hole 2214, and the third hole 2216 are coaxially arranged. The radial dimension of the second hole 2214 is larger than the radial dimension of the first hole 2212 and the radial dimension of the second hole 2214 is larger than the radial dimension of the third hole 2216. The second hole 2214 is used to dispose the optical waveguide 10, the first protective lens 20, and the second protective lens 40. The first hole 2212 is used to dispose the second carrier member 223 and a part of the first elastic protective film 30. The second carrier member 223 is located on the side of the first elastic protective film 30 away from the optical waveguide 10. The third hole 2216 is used to dispose the third carrier member 225 and a part of the second elastic protective film 50. The third carrier member 225 is located on the side of the second elastic protective film 50 away from the optical waveguide 10. The first hole 2212, the second hole 2214, and the third hole 2216 are coaxially arranged. The radial dimension of the second hole 2214 is larger than the radial dimension of the first hole 2212 and the radial dimension of the second hole 2214 is larger than the radial dimension of the third hole 2216, so that the first protective lens 20, the optical waveguide 10, and the second protective lens 40 arranged in a stacked manner can be more stably installed in the first carrier member 221, preventing them from falling off when the first elastic protective film 30 or the second elastic protective film 50 is disassembled or replaced.

[0078] Optionally, the second carrier member 223 has a first light passing hole 2231, and the third carrier member 225 has a second light passing hole 2251. The first light passing hole 2231, the first hole 2212, the second hole 2214, the third hole 2216, and the second light passing hole 2251 are coaxially arranged. The first elastic protective film 30 includes a connected first mounting portion 31 and a first fitting portion 33. The first mounting portion 31 is arranged around the outer periphery of the first fitting portion 33. The first mounting portion 31 is located between the first carrier member 221 and the second carrier member 223. The first carrier member 221, the first fitting portion 33, and the second carrier member 223 are in interference fit to detachably fix the first elastic protective film 30. The first fitting portion 33 is arranged to fit the surface of the first protective lens 20 facing away from the optical waveguide 10. The second elastic protective film 50 includes a connected second mounting portion 51 and a second fitting portion 53. The second mounting portion 51 is arranged around the outer periphery of the second fitting portion 53. The second mounting portion 51 is located between the first carrier member 221 and the third carrier member 225. The first carrier member 221, the second fitting portion 53, and the third carrier member 225 are in interference fit to detachably fix the second elastic protective film 50. The second fitting portion 53 is arranged to fit the surface of the second protective lens 40 facing away from the optical waveguide 10. The outer periphery of the first elastic protective film 30 is fastened between the first carrier member 221 and the second carrier member 223 by interference fit, and the outer periphery of the second elastic protective film 50 is fastened between the first carrier member 221 and the third carrier member 225 by interference fit, so as to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the first elastic protective film 30 and the second elastic protective film 50.

[0079] Optionally, the carrier member 220 may be, but is not limited to, a frame of an augmented reality glasses, a helmet body of an augmented reality helmet, a mask body of an augmented reality mask, etc. Optionally, the waveguide module 100 may be disposed on the carrier member 220 through an adhesive or a fastening part, etc.

[0080] Please refer to again Figure 6 , in some embodiments, when the augmented reality device 200 is augmented reality glasses, the augmented reality device 200 of the embodiment of the present application further includes a wearing member 230. The wearing member 230 is rotatably connected to the first carrier member 221 of the carrier member 220, and the wearing member 230 is used for clamping a wearer (such as a human head, or a head prosthesis, etc.).

[0081] Optionally, the wearing member 230 includes a first wearing sub-member 231 and a second wearing sub-member 233. The first wearing sub-member 231 is rotatably connected to one end of the carrier member 220, and the second wearing sub-member 233 is rotatably connected to the other end of the carrier member 220 away from the first wearing sub-member 231. The first wearing sub-member 231 and the second wearing sub-member 233 cooperate to clamp the augmented reality device 200 to the wearer. Optionally, the first wearing sub-member 231 and the second wearing sub-member 233 are also used to arrange the projection optical machine 210. Optionally, both the first wearing sub-member 231 and the second wearing sub-member 233 can be, but are not limited to, the temple arms of the augmented reality device 200 (AR glasses).

[0082] In this application, the mention of "embodiment" or "implementation manner" means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in combination with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various positions in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will explicitly and implicitly understand that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments. In addition, it should also be understood that the features, structures, or characteristics described in each embodiment of this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other without contradiction to form another embodiment that does not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of this application.

[0083] Finally, it should be noted that the above implementation manners are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and not to limit them. Although the technical solutions of this application have been described in detail with reference to the above preferred implementation manners, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of this application can be modified or equivalently replaced without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.

Claims

1. A waveguide module, characterized in that, Comprising: An optical waveguide for transmitting an optical signal incident on the optical waveguide; A first protective lens, the first protective lens being disposed at an interval on one side of the optical waveguide for protecting the optical waveguide; A first elastic protective film, the first elastic protective film being disposed on the side of the first protective lens facing away from the optical waveguide; A second protective lens, the second protective lens being disposed at an interval on the side of the optical waveguide facing away from the first protective lens for protecting the optical waveguide; And A second elastic protective film, the second elastic protective film being disposed on the side of the second protective lens facing away from the optical waveguide; Both the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film are in a stretched state. The first elastic protective film has a first elongation rate, and the first elongation rate is less than the elongation at break of the first elastic protective film; the second elastic protective film has a second elongation rate, and the second elongation rate is less than the elongation at break of the second elastic protective film.

2. The waveguide module according to claim 1, wherein, The waveguide module satisfies at least one of the following conditions: The range of the first elongation rate is 5% to 15%; The range of the ratio of the first elongation rate to the elongation at break of the first elastic protective film is 5% to 30%; The range of the second elongation rate is 5% to 15%; and The second elongation rate is 5% to 30% of the elongation at break of the second elastic protective film.

3. The waveguide module according to claim 1, wherein The range of the elastic modulus E1 of the first elastic protective film is: 1 GPa ≤ E1 ≤ 10 GPa; the range of the elastic modulus E2 of the second elastic protective film is: 1 GPa ≤ E2 ≤ 10 GPa.

4. The waveguide module according to claim 1, wherein, The range of the thickness d1 of the first elastic protective film is: 0.1 mm ≤ d1 ≤ 0.3 mm; the range of the thickness d2 of the second elastic protective film is: 0.1 mm ≤ d2 ≤ 0.3 mm.

5. The waveguide module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The material of the first elastic protective film is at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate; the material of the second elastic protective film is at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate.

6. An augmented reality device, characterized in that, Comprising: A projection optical machine for projecting an optical signal, the optical signal including image information; The waveguide module according to any one of claims 1-5, the waveguide module being used for transmitting the optical signal; And A processor, the processor being electrically connected to the projection optical machine for controlling the projection optical machine to project the optical signal.

7. The augmented reality device according to claim 6, wherein The augmented reality device further includes: A carrier for carrying the waveguide module, the optical waveguide, the first protective lens, and the second protective lens being assembled with the carrier as a whole, and the first elastic protective film and the second elastic protective film can be detachably fixed to the carrier.

8. The augmented reality device according to claim 7, wherein The carrier includes a first carrier sub-component, a second carrier sub-component, and a third carrier sub-component. The second carrier sub-component and the third carrier sub-component are stacked and spaced apart. The first carrier sub-component surrounds the second carrier sub-component and is disposed around the outer periphery of the third carrier sub-component. The first carrier sub-component is used to mount the optical waveguide, the first protective lens, and the second protective lens. The first carrier sub-component and the second carrier sub-component are in interference fit to detachably fix the first elastic protective film. The first carrier sub-component and the third carrier sub-component are in interference fit to detachably fix the second elastic protective film.

9. The augmented reality device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first carrier sub-component has a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to each other. The first carrier sub-component further has a first hole, a second hole, and a third hole that are sequentially arranged and communicated along the arrangement direction of the first surface and the second surface. The first hole penetrates the first surface, and the third hole penetrates the second surface. The first hole, the second hole, and the third hole are coaxially arranged. The radial dimension of the second hole is greater than the radial dimension of the first hole and the radial dimension of the second hole is greater than the radial dimension of the third hole. The second hole is used to dispose the optical waveguide, the first protective lens, and the second protective lens. The first hole is used to dispose the second carrier sub-component and part of the first elastic protective film. The second carrier sub-component is located on the side of the first elastic protective film away from the optical waveguide. The third hole is used to dispose the third carrier sub-component and part of the second elastic protective film. The third carrier sub-component is located on the side of the second elastic protective film away from the optical waveguide.

10. The augmented reality device according to claim 8, wherein, The second carrier sub-component has a first light-passing hole, and the third carrier sub-component has a second light-passing hole. The first light-passing hole, the first hole, the second hole, the third hole, and the second light-passing hole are coaxially arranged. The first elastic protective film includes a first mounting portion and a first fitting portion connected to each other. The first mounting portion surrounds the outer periphery of the first fitting portion. The first mounting portion is located between the first carrier sub-component and the second carrier sub-component. The first carrier sub-component, the first fitting portion, and the second carrier sub-component are in interference fit to detachably fix the first elastic protective film. The first fitting portion is disposed in contact with the surface of the first protective lens away from the optical waveguide. The second elastic protective film includes a second mounting portion and a second fitting portion connected to each other. The second mounting portion surrounds the outer periphery of the second fitting portion. The second mounting portion is located between the first carrier sub-component and the third carrier sub-component. The first carrier sub-component, the second fitting portion, and the third carrier sub-component are in interference fit to detachably fix the second elastic protective film. The second fitting portion is disposed in contact with the surface of the second protective lens away from the optical waveguide.

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