Near-eye display system with adhesive backing

Abstract

The near-eye display system includes a housing, an image light guide that engages with the housing, and a seal positioned between the housing and the image light guide. A projector is positioned within a chamber of the housing. The housing has an opening through which the projector emits light into the image light guide. Additional electronic equipment and circuits, such as transceivers, are positioned within the chamber. The additional electronic equipment can be separated from the projector within the chamber, for example, by a partition. The partition forms a first chamber in which the projector is positioned and a second chamber in which the additional electronic equipment is positioned. The seal engages with the opening and provides a liquid-tight seal between the first chamber and the image light guide. The seal can also engage with an additional opening in the housing to liquid-tightly seal the second chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to near-eye display systems, and more particularly to near-eye display systems having a seal that prevents fluid from penetrating into a chamber.

Background Art

[0002] A head-mounted display (HMD) includes an image source and, in some examples, an image light guide for presenting a virtual image to the wearer's eyes. The image light guide can be arranged to transmit the virtual image from an offset position of the image source to a position aligned with the wearer's eyes.

[0003] In many applications, there is particular value in forming a virtual image that can be visually superimposed on a real-world image within the field of view of an HMD user.

[0004] In most HMDs, it is necessary to protect the image source and other electronic components from the intrusion of liquids and other contaminants. However, in conventional HMD designs, the image source and electronic components are not properly sealed.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates to one or more exemplary embodiments of a near-eye display system comprising a housing, an image light guide engaging with the housing, and a seal disposed between the housing and the image light guide. A projector is located within a chamber of the housing. The housing has an opening through which the projector emits light onto the image light guide. Additional electronic equipment and circuits, such as transceivers, are located within the chamber. The additional electronic equipment can be separated from the projector within the chamber, for example, by a partition. The partition forms a first chamber in which the projector is located and a second chamber in which the additional electronic equipment is located. The seal engages with the opening and provides a liquid-tight seal between the first chamber and the image light guide. The seal can also engage with an additional opening in the housing to liquid-tightly seal the second chamber. Thus, the seal provides a liquid-tight seal between the housing and the image light guide and simultaneously seals the first and second chambers.

[0006] This disclosure relates to one or more exemplary embodiments of a near-eye display system.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the near-eye display system comprises a housing including at least one chamber, an image light guide engaging with the housing, and a seal operably disposed between the housing and at least a portion of the image light guide, the seal forming a liquid-tight seal.

[0008] In exemplary embodiments, the housing includes an outer wall, at least a portion of which includes the seal. In exemplary embodiments, the outer wall has a first opening having a first diameter, the first opening forming a path between at least one chamber and the image light guide. In exemplary embodiments, the seal has a through-hole aligned with the first opening, the through-hole having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. In exemplary embodiments, the seal further includes a protrusion that at least partially engages with the image light guide. In exemplary embodiments, the protrusion at least partially surrounds the through-hole. In exemplary embodiments, the near-eye display system further includes a projector located in the at least one chamber, the projector configured to operate to emit light through the first opening to the image light guide.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the seal comprises a channel, and the image light guide is located within the channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the near-eye display system further comprises one or more electronic components located within the at least one chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the image light guide comprises an inner surface, an outer surface, and a radially outward-facing surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface, with the seal in contact with the inner surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the seal further in contact with the radially outward-facing surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the seal comprises a convex portion, and the image light guide comprises a projection projecting radially outward, with the convex portion engaging with the projection.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the seal comprises a first wall including a through hole, a second wall spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first wall, and a third wall connecting the first wall and the second wall. In an exemplary embodiment, the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall form a channel, and the image light guide is engaged with the channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing comprises an outer wall including a first opening and a second opening, and the seal is at least partially positioned within the first opening and the second opening to seal the at least one chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one chamber comprises a first chamber and a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a partition, the first chamber having the first opening, and the second chamber having the second opening. In an exemplary embodiment, the seal engages simultaneously with the first opening and the second opening to seal the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0011] This disclosure relates to one or more exemplary embodiments of a near-eye display system.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the near-eye display system is a housing comprising an outer wall, a partition extending inward from the outer wall to form a first chamber and a second chamber, a first opening formed in the outer wall and aligned with the first chamber, and a second opening formed in the outer wall and aligned with the second chamber. An image light guide that engages with the housing, The system comprises a seal that engages with the first opening and the second opening and is operationally positioned to form a liquid-tight seal between the housing and the image light guide.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the seal has a through-hole aligned with the first opening, and the first opening and the through-hole form a path from the first chamber to the image light guide. In an exemplary embodiment, the seal has a protrusion that at least partially engages with a projection facing radially outward of the image light guide.

[0014] The above and other aspects, purposes, features, and advantages of this disclosure will be better understood and recognized by referring to the following detailed description of embodiments, the appended claims, and the appended drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein as part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the subject matter of this disclosure, and illustrate selected principles and teachings of this disclosure. However, the drawings do not illustrate all possible embodiments of the subject matter of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure in any way.

[0016] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view of the near-eye display system from above and in front.

[0017] [Figure 1B] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the near-eye display system shown in Figure 1A, viewed from above in an inverted state.

[0018] [Figure 2] Figure 1B is an exploded perspective view of the near-eye display system shown.

[0019] [Figure 3] This is a detailed view of the front frame section shown in "Detail 3" of Figure 2.

[0020] [Figure 4] Figure 1B is a perspective view from the front of a portion of the inverted near-eye display system.

[0021] [Figure 5A] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sticker shown from the front.

[0022] [Figure 5B] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the seal shown from the rear.

[0023] [Figure 6] A cross-sectional view of a near-eye display system taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1A.

[0024] [Figure 7] A cross-sectional view of a near-eye display system taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1B.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] It should be understood that the present invention can take various alternative directions and orders of steps, unless explicitly specified to the contrary. It should also be understood that the specific assemblies and systems shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept defined herein. Accordingly, specific dimensions, directions, or other physical characteristics associated with the disclosed embodiments should not be considered limiting unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, although not always the case, like elements in the various embodiments described herein are referenced with like reference numerals.

[0026] As used herein, terms such as "first," "second," etc. do not necessarily indicate a relationship of sequence, order, or priority, and are used to clearly distinguish one element or set of elements from another element or set of elements, unless otherwise specified.

[0027] As used herein, the terms "viewer," "operator," "observer," "wearer," and "user" are considered synonymous and refer to a person or machine that wears and / or uses a head-mounted device to view an image.

[0028] The term "set" as used herein refers to a non-empty set. The concept of a set of elements or members is widely understood in elementary mathematics. In this specification, the term "subset" refers to a non-empty proper subset, that is, a subset of a larger set that has one or more members, unless explicitly stated otherwise. In the case of a set S, a subset may constitute a complete set S. However, a "proper subset" of set S is one that is strictly contained in set S, excluding at least one member of set S.

[0029] Where used herein, the term “approximately” applied to a value is intended to mean within the tolerance range of the instrument generating the value. In some examples, unless explicitly specified otherwise, it is intended to mean ±10%, ±5%, or ±1%.

[0030] As used herein, the term “substantially” is intended to mean within the acceptable range of the instrument producing the value. In some examples, unless otherwise explicitly specified, it is intended to mean ±10%, ±5%, or ±1%.

[0031] As used herein, the term “exemplary” is intended to mean “one example,” “serving as an example,” or “illustrating,” and does not imply any preference or requirement regarding the disclosed embodiments.

[0032] Those skilled in the art will understand that the elements and techniques described herein can be implemented without one or more specific details, or using other methods, components, materials, etc. In some cases, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not described or explained in detail so as not to obscure the features of this disclosure. Throughout this specification, the phrase “one embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or property described in relation to that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Thus, where the phrase “in one embodiment” appears throughout this specification, it does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. However, the particular features, structures, or properties described can be combined in any suitable way in one or more embodiments.

[0033] Referring to the drawings, Figure 1A is a perspective view of the near-eye display system 10 from above and the front. Figure 1B is a perspective view of the near-eye display system 10 in an inverted state, also from above and the front. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the near-eye display system 10 in an inverted state, also from above and the front. As shown in Figures 1A to 2, the near-eye display system 10 comprises a lower frame portion 20, an image light guide assembly 40, an upper frame portion 60, a seal 80, and an image light source or projector 124. In an exemplary embodiment, the near-eye display system 10 further comprises one or more frames (e.g., frames 30A to 30B), at least one temple (e.g., temples 34A to 34B), a nose bridge 32, and / or a battery 120.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, the lower frame portion 20 (also referred to as the “lower frame 20”) is connected to the upper frame portion 60 and is operably positioned to engage with at least a portion of the image light guide assembly 40. For example, the lower frame 20 comprises at least one curved rim, which engages with at least a radially outward-facing surface 56 and / or the outer surface of frame 30A or frame 30B of the image light guide assembly 40. In an exemplary embodiment, the lower frame 20 comprises a first curved frame positioned to engage with frame 30A and a second curved frame positioned to engage with frame 30B. The lower frame portion 20 comprises a cover 22, which engages with the housing 64 and is positioned to seal components located inside (e.g., electronics 122 and projector 124). In an exemplary embodiment, the lower frame portion 20 comprises a cover 24, which engages with the housing 62 and is positioned to seal components located therein (e.g., battery 120).

[0035] Frames 30A to 30B are operably arranged to hold or provide fixed structures for optical structures within the near-eye display system and / or to fix the image light guide assembly 40 to at least one of the upper frame section 60 and the lower frame section 20. Specifically, the image light guide assembly 40 is bonded to frame 30A. In some exemplary embodiments, the image light guide assembly 40 includes frame 30A. In some examples, the image light guide assembly 40 is bonded to a radially inward-facing surface of frame 30A, or to one or more axial surfaces. Lenses or other optical structures are bonded to frame 30B. The lower frame section 20 and the upper frame section 60 are bonded to frames 30A to 30B.

[0036] The image light guide assembly 40 comprises at least one image light guide 46. The image light guide 46 can display a virtual image using image-carrying light from the projector 124. For example, a collimated, relatively angularly encoded light beam from the projector 124 is coupled to the image light guide 46 by an input coupling, such as an input coupling optical element (incoupling optical element) engaged with or formed on or inside the surface of the image light guide 46. Such an input coupling optical element can be formed as a diffraction grating, a holographic optical element (HOE), a liquid crystal element, or by other known methods. For example, the input coupling optical element can be formed as a surface relief diffraction grating. After propagating along the image light guide 46, the diffracted light is directed to exit the image light guide 46 backward by a similar output coupling optical element (outcoupling optical element). This output coupling optical element can be positioned to provide pupil dilation along one or more dimensions of the virtual image. Furthermore, pupil dilation can be achieved in one or more dimensions of the virtual image by positioning a rotational optical system or an intermediate optical system on or inside the image light guide 46. The one- or more-dimensional expansion provided by the rotating optical system is orthogonal to the one- or more-dimensional expansion provided by the output coupling optical system, resulting in a two-dimensional expansion of the pupil or eye box. The image-carrying light output from the image light guide 46 provides an expanded eye box to the viewer. The image light guide 46 can be made from optical glass or plastic.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, the image light guide assembly 40 further comprises at least one outer layer 44 disposed on the surface of the image light guide 46. In an exemplary embodiment, this layer 44 is a transparent ultraviolet (UV) curable polymer. In an exemplary embodiment, the layer 44 contains a material that optically matches the material of the image light guide 46, i.e., matches within 5% of the refractive index. In an exemplary embodiment, the layer 44 contains a material that is softer than the material of the image light guide 46. Although the diffractive optical element may be formed on the image light guide 46 as previously stated, in an exemplary embodiment, the diffractive optical element is formed on the layer 44.

[0038] In exemplary embodiments, the image light guide assembly 40 further comprises a lens 48. The lens 48 is a transmissive optical device capable of correcting optical defects or abnormalities in the wearer's or user's vision, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness, by focusing or diverging light rays through refraction to correct these visual defects. The lens 48 may include a prescription for eyeglasses tailored to the user. In exemplary embodiments, the image light guide assembly 40 further comprises a cover 42. The cover 42 is positioned to protect the diffractive optical elements of the image light guide 46 and / or layer 44, which are located on the surface and / or inside.

[0039] The cover 42 of the image light guide assembly 40 has an inner surface 52, and the lens 48 of the image light guide assembly 40 has an outer surface 54. As will be described later, when stacked, these surfaces become the inner and outer surfaces of the image light guide assembly 40, respectively. The inner surface 52 is the innermost surface of the image light guide assembly 40, for example, the surface closest to the user's eye. The outer surface 54 is the outermost surface of the image light guide assembly 40, for example, the surface furthest from the user's eye. In an exemplary embodiment in which the image light guide assembly 40 comprises only the image light guide 46, the inner surface 52 is the inner surface of the image light guide 46, and the outer surface 54 is the outer surface of the image light guide 46. In an exemplary embodiment in which the image light guide assembly 40 comprises the image light guide 46 and a layer 44, the inner surface 52 is the inner surface of the layer 44, and the outer surface 54 is the outer surface of the image light guide 46. The image light guide 40 further comprises a radially outward-facing surface 56. This surface 56 extends axially (for example, in the D1, D2 directions) from the inner surface 52 to the outer surface 54. In an exemplary embodiment, the image light guide 40 further includes a projection 50 projecting radially outward from the radially outward surface 56. This projection 50 is arranged to engage with the convex portion 96 to secure the image light guide assembly 40 to the upper frame portion 60. This will be described in more detail later.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, in an exemplary embodiment, the image light guide assembly 40 further comprises a housing 62. The battery 120 is located within the housing 62 and sealed therein by a cover 24. In an exemplary embodiment, the temples 34A, 34B are hinged to the upper frame portion 60. In an exemplary embodiment, the nose bridge 32 is connected to the upper frame portion 60 to engage with the user's nose.

[0041] Figure 3 is a detailed view of the main part of the upper frame portion 60 shown in "Detail 3" of Figure 2. The upper frame portion 60 comprises a housing 64 and at least one curved portion arranged to engage with the image light guide assembly 40. The housing 64 comprises at least one chamber arranged to at least partially enclose the projector 124 (shown in Figures 2 and 4) and the electronic equipment 122 (shown in Figures 2 and 4). For example, the housing 64 comprises a chamber 64A in which the projector 124 is housed and a chamber 64B in which the electronic equipment 122 is housed.

[0042] The housing 64 includes an outer wall 66 that, together with the cover 22, seals the chambers 64A and 64B. The outer wall 66 includes outer wall portions 66A to 66E that form the periphery of the outer wall 66. The housing 64 has an upper wall that seals the chambers 64A and 64B, and the cover 22 seals the chambers 64A and 64B at the bottom. A partition 68 extends inward from the outer wall portion 66B, dividing the housing 64 into chambers 64A and 64B. The outer wall portion 66A, the outer wall portion 66E, a part of the outer wall portion 66B, and the partition 68 form chamber 64A. The outer wall portion 66C, the outer wall portion 66D, a part of the outer wall portion 66B, and the partition 68 form chamber 64B. The outer wall portion 66E has a hole or through hole that forms an opening 70 to chamber 64A. The opening 70 is positioned to allow light emitted from the projector 124 to enter the image light guide assembly 40 through a passage formed, for example, by the upper frame portion 60 and / or seal 80. A space is provided between the partition 68 and the outer wall portion 66D, forming an opening 72 to the chamber 64B.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, the electronic device 122 is located within chamber 64B. The electronic device 122 includes one or more components for communicating with the projector 124 and / or wireless peripherals (such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer). For example, the electronic device 122 includes a transceiver that can receive and transmit wireless or wired communications from an external source or peripheral to the near-eye display system 10 and communicate with the projector 124. In an exemplary embodiment, the transceiver is an UBLOX® BMD-380 module. In an exemplary embodiment, the transceiver is connected to a circuit or circuit board. This circuit is connected to the projector 124, for example, via a ribbon cable that crosses partition 68 and spans chambers 64A-64B. This circuit is also connected to the battery 120. In this way, the projector 124 is powered by the battery 120 and receives communications from the electronic device 122 and emits light from the lens 126. In an exemplary embodiment, the projector 124 protrudes at least partially through the opening 70.

[0044] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the main part of the near-eye display system 10 in an inverted state. Figure 5A is a perspective view of the seal 80 from the front. Figure 5B is a perspective view of the seal 80 from the rear. The seal 80 comprises walls 82, 90, and 98. In an exemplary embodiment, the seal 80 further comprises a wall 104.

[0045] The wall 82 comprises an outer surface 84 positioned to engage with the housing 64 and an inner surface 86 positioned to engage with the image light guide assembly 40. The outer surface 84 engages with the outer wall 66 to seal the opening 70 of the chamber 64A. The inner surface 86 engages with the inner surface 52 of the image light guide assembly 40. The wall 82 further comprises a through hole 88 aligned with the opening 70. The through hole 88 and the opening 70 form a passage P shown in Figure 6, extending generally in the D1, D2 directions. Through this passage P, the projector 124 can irradiate the image light guide assembly 40 with light. The opening 70 has a diameter L1 and the through hole 88 has a diameter L2. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter L2 of the through hole 80 is smaller than the diameter L1 of the opening 70. As best shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, the outer surface 84 abuts against the outer wall 66E, the lens 126 of the projector 124 aligns with the through hole 88, and the inner surface 86 engages with the inner surface 52 of the image light guide assembly 40. Thus, the seal 80 seals the outer wall 66E to prevent liquid and other foreign matter from entering the chamber 64A, and also provides a liquid-tight seal around the passage from the lens 126 to the image light guide assembly 40 within the chamber 64A. In exemplary embodiments, when assembled, the wall 82 forms part of the outer wall 66.

[0046] In exemplary embodiments, as best shown in Figure 5B, the seal 80 further comprises a projection 110 and / or a curved surface 112. The projection 110 protrudes generally in the D2 direction from the outer surface 84 and engages with the opening 70. In exemplary embodiments, the projection 110 is positioned close to and / or at least partially encloses the through hole 88 (see Figure 5B). In exemplary embodiments, the projection 110 at least partially encloses the through hole 88 (i.e., encloses it by a boundary or encloses it as if it were a boundary) (see Figure 5B). The curved surface 112 is positioned on the outer surface 84 and is positioned to engage with the partition 68 in a sealing manner (see Figures 5B and 6).

[0047] The wall 90 extends from the wall 82 and has an outer surface 92 positioned to engage with the housing 64 and an inner surface 94 positioned to engage with the image light guide assembly 40. In an exemplary embodiment, the wall 90 extends from the wall 82 generally in the direction D1 and is positioned substantially perpendicular to the wall 82. The outer surface 92 engages with the outer wall 66 to seal the opening 72 of the chamber 64B. Specifically, the wall 90 extends between the partition 68 and the outer wall portion 66D, sealing the chamber 64B and preventing the ingress of fluids and other foreign matter. In an exemplary embodiment, when assembled, the wall 90 forms part of the outer wall 66. In this way, when assembled, the seal 80 provides a liquid-tight seal between the openings 70 and 72 of the outer wall 66 of the housing 64. The inner surface 94 engages with the radially outward-facing surface 56 of the image light guide assembly 40. In an exemplary embodiment, the wall 90 further has a projection 96 (shown in Figure 5A) projecting radially inward from the inner surface 94. The projection 96 is positioned to engage with a projection 50 of the image light guide assembly 40 to fix or assist in fixing the image light guide assembly 40 to the upper frame portion 60.

[0048] Wall 98 extends from walls 82 and 90. Wall 98 has an outer surface 100 and an inner surface 102. In an exemplary embodiment, wall 98 extends from wall 92 in a direction D1 and from wall 90 in a direction D3. In an exemplary embodiment, wall 98 is positioned substantially perpendicular to walls 82 and / or wall 90. The outer surface 100 engages with the upper frame portion 60, for example, channel 74 (shown in Figure 3), and the inner surface 102 engages with the radially outward-facing surface 56 of the image light guide assembly 40.

[0049] Wall 104 is positioned at least partially between walls 90 and 98 and spaced apart from wall 82 in direction DI. Walls 82, 98, and 104 form a channel 114 in which the image light guide assembly 40 is positioned. Wall 104 has an outer surface 106 positioned to engage with the upper frame portion 60 and an inner surface 108 (shown in Figure 6) positioned to engage with the outer surface 54 of the image light guide assembly 40. In an exemplary embodiment, the seal 80 comprises an elastomer (e.g., rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane, SANTOPRENE® thermoplastic vulcanized polymer alloy, urethane rubber, silicone rubber) and at least partially surrounds the image light guide assembly 40 (e.g., wall 82 is on the inner surface 52, wall 104 is on the outer surface 54, and walls 90 and 98 are on the outward-facing surfaces 56). Thus, the seal 80 functions as a vibration damper between the image light guide assembly 40 and the upper frame portion 60.

[0050] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the near-eye display system 10 cut along line 6-6 in Figure 1A. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the near-eye display system 10 cut along line 7-7 in Figure 1B. To assemble the near-eye display system 10, the projector 124 is placed in chamber 64A with the lens 126 aligned with the opening 70 and facing approximately in the direction D1. The electronic components 122 are placed in chamber 64B and connected to the projector 124 and power supply (e.g., battery 120). In an exemplary embodiment, the battery 120 is located in the housing 62. The seal 80 is connected to the upper frame portion 60. This effectively seals chamber 64B by sealing the opening 72. At the same time, the seal 80 further seals chamber 64A by sealing the opening 70 except for the opening created by the through hole 88.

[0051] Next, the image light guide assembly 40 is assembled by engaging its radially outward-facing surface 56 with the channel 74, inner surface 102, and inner surface 94 of the upper frame portion 60. The inner surface 52 of the image light guide assembly is engaged with the inner surface 86, and the outer surface 56 is engaged with the inner surface 108. The engagement of the inner surface 52 and the inner surface 86 closes the through hole 88, and at this point the opening 70 in the chamber 64A, i.e., the outer wall 66E, is sealed liquid-tight. (The outer surface 84 seals the opening 70 liquid-tightly by sealing the outer wall 66E, and the image light guide assembly 40 seals the through hole 88 liquid-tightly by sealing the inner surface 86). In an exemplary embodiment, the convex portion 96 engages with the projection 50. In an exemplary embodiment, the image light guide assembly 40 can be positioned inside or against the frame 30A.

[0052] The lower frame section 20 is assembled and engages with the image light guide assembly 40. The cover 22 is connected to the housing 64, thereby sealing the chambers 64A-64B and liquid-tightly sealing the electronic equipment 122 and projector 124 inside. The cover 24 is connected to the housing 62 which houses the battery 120. The temples 34A and 34B are hinged to the upper frame section 60.

[0053] In exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the near-eye display system 10 may include a second seal or a seal similar to seal 80 located within the housing 62. For example, such a seal may be substantially similar to seal 80 but include a single chamber for liquid-tight sealing of the battery 120. In exemplary embodiments, the second seal 80 is located within the housing 62, and the battery 120 is located in either chamber 64A or chamber 64B.

[0054] Additional embodiments not shown may be constructed by combining one or more features of the embodiments described herein. While various embodiments have been described in detail above, they should be understood to be presented for illustrative purposes only and not limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject matter of this disclosure can be embodied in other particular forms, variations, and modifications without departing from its scope, spirit, or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be considered illustrative in all respects and not limiting. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the appended claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope of their equivalents are encompassed therein.

Claims

1. A housing (64) including at least one chamber (64A-64B), An image light guide (46) that engages with the housing (64), A seal (80) is operably positioned between the housing (64) and at least a portion of the image light guide (46) and forms a liquid-tight seal. A near-eye display system equipped with this feature.

2. The near-eye display system according to claim 1, wherein the housing (64) includes an outer wall (66A to 66E), and at least a portion of the outer wall (66A to 66E) includes the seal (80).

3. The near-eye display system according to claim 2, wherein the outer wall (66A to 66E) is provided with a first opening (70) having a first diameter (L1), and the first opening (70) forms a path (P) between at least one chamber (64A to 64B) and the image light guide (46).

4. The near-eye display system according to claim 3, wherein the seal (80) comprises a through hole (88) aligned with the first opening (70), and the through hole (88) has a second diameter (L2) smaller than the first diameter (L1).

5. The near-eye display system according to claim 3, wherein the seal (80) further comprises a protrusion (96) that at least partially engages with the image light guide (46).

6. The near-eye display system according to claim 4, wherein the protrusion (96) at least partially surrounds the through hole (88).

7. The near-eye display system according to claim 3, further comprising a projector (124) disposed within at least one chamber (64A to 64B), wherein the projector (124) is configured to operate to emit light to the image light guide (46) through the first opening (70).

8. The near-eye display system according to claim 1, wherein the seal (80) comprises a channel (114) and the image light guide (46) is located within the channel (114).

9. The near-eye display system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more electronic components (122) disposed within at least one chamber (64A to 64B).

10. The image light guide (46) comprises an inner surface (52), an outer surface (54), and a radially outward-facing surface (56) extending between the inner surface (52) and the outer surface (54). The near-eye display system according to claim 1, wherein the seal (80) is in contact with the inner surface (52).

11. The near-eye display system according to claim 10, wherein the seal (80) further abuts against the radially outward-facing surface (56).

12. The near-eye display system according to claim 1, wherein the seal (80) is provided with a protrusion (96), the image light guide (46) is provided with a projection (50) that protrudes radially outward, and the protrusion (96) engages with the projection (50).

13. The near-eye display system according to claim 1, wherein the seal (80) comprises a first wall (82) including a through hole (88), a second wall (104) spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first wall (82), and a third wall (90 or 98) connecting the first wall (82) and the second wall (104).

14. The near-eye display system according to claim 13, wherein the first wall (82), the second wall (104), and the third wall (90 or 98) form a channel (114), and the image light guide (46) is engaged with the channel (114).

15. The housing (64) includes an outer wall (66A to 66E) which includes a first opening (70) and a second opening (72). The near-eye display system according to claim 1, wherein the seal (80) is at least partially positioned within the first opening (70) and the second opening (72) to seal the at least one chamber (64A to 64B).

16. The at least one chamber (64A to 64B) comprises a first chamber (64A) and a second chamber (64B) separated from the first chamber (64A) by a partition (68). The near-eye display system according to claim 15, wherein the first chamber (64A) has the first opening (70) and the second chamber (64B) has the second opening (72).

17. The near-eye display system according to claim 16, wherein the seal (80) simultaneously engages with the first opening (70) and the second opening (72) to seal the first chamber (64A) and the second chamber (64B).

18. It is a housing, Exterior walls (66A to 66E) and A partition (68) extending inward from the outer wall (66A to 66E) and forming a first chamber (64A) and a second chamber (64B), A first opening (70) is formed in the outer wall (66A to 66E) and is aligned with the first chamber (64A), A second opening (72) is formed in the outer wall (66A to 66E) and is aligned with the second chamber (64B), A housing (64) including, An image light guide (46) that engages with the housing (64), A seal (80) is operationally positioned to engage with the first opening (70) and the second opening (72) and to form a liquid-tight seal between the housing (64) and the image light guide (46), A near-eye display system equipped with this feature.

19. The near-eye display system according to claim 18, wherein the seal (80) has a through hole (88) aligned with the first opening (70), and the first opening (70) and the through hole (88) form a path (P) from the first chamber (64A) to the image light guide (46).

20. The near-eye display system according to claim 18, wherein the seal (80) comprises a protrusion (96) that at least partially engages with a projection (56) of the image light guide (46) facing radially outward.

Images