Wearable video display device

Abstract

Provided is an attachment-type image display device which simplifies the entire device, and can maintain good parallelism of left and right ocular units. This attachment-type image display device (10) comprises: a left ocular unit (11) and a right ocular unit (12) which form a left-right pair corresponding to the left and right eyes of a user (U); an upper rail part (21) and a lower rail part (22) which are respectively provided to the upper and lower sides of the ocular units and form a mutually parallel pair extending in the left-right direction; a left connection part (23) and a right connection part (24) which are respectively provided to the left and right sides of the rail parts, and form a pair of connection parts which connect the left end sections and the right end sections of the pair of rail parts to each other; and two pairs of guide grooves (11e, 11f, 12e, 12f) which are respectively provided to the upper and lower sides of the ocular units, extend in the left-right direction, and accommodate the rail parts. The connection parts each exhibits a pressing force with which the respective rail parts are pressed against bottom sections of the respective guide grooves.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wearable image display device capable of adjusting the pupil distance. [Background technology]

[0002] Head-mounted displays that can be worn on a user's head to view images have been used in the past. Because the interpupillary distance between users varies greatly from person to person, Patent Document 1 discloses a head-mounted display equipped with an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the positions of left and right display units according to the interpupillary distance.

[0003] The adjustment mechanism in Patent Document 1 includes rails that guide the left-right movement of a pair of left and right display units, and these rails are arranged parallel to each other on both the top and bottom of the display units. The rails are also attached to and fixed in covers that cover the front, top and bottom, and left and right sides.

[0004] In a head-mounted display, if the parallelism of the optical axes of the left and right display units decreases, problems such as eye fatigue when viewing images and the inability to fuse the left and right images occur. Therefore, it is important to maintain good parallelism of the optical axes in a head-mounted display. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-81984 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, if the parallelism of the upper and lower rails cannot be maintained, the parallelism of the optical axes of the left and right display units will decrease, so it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the cover. This results in problems such as the cover becoming heavier and its structure becoming more complex, making it difficult to manufacture. In other words, if the cover is made lighter and simpler, the rigidity of the cover will decrease, causing the parallelism of the upper and lower rails to decrease, and ultimately causing the parallelism of the optical axes of the left and right display units to decrease as well.

[0007] As such, there is a trade-off between maintaining the parallelism of the optical axes of the left and right display units and simplifying the entire device, but the inventor has devised an invention that can achieve both of these effects simultaneously.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a wearable image display device that can maintain good parallelism between the left and right eyepiece units while simplifying the entire device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One embodiment of the wearable image display device of the present disclosure comprises a pair of left and right eyepiece units corresponding to the left and right eyes of a user, a pair of parallel rail sections arranged at positions spaced apart vertically on the pair of eyepiece units and having portions extending in the left-right direction, a pair of connecting sections arranged on both the left and right sides of the pair of rail sections and connecting the left ends and right ends of the pair of rail sections, and two pairs of guide grooves arranged at positions spaced apart vertically on each of the pair of left and right eyepiece units and receiving the parallel rail sections that extend in the left-right direction, and the connecting sections are characterized in that they exert a pressing force to press the rail sections against the bottom of the guide grooves. Furthermore, one embodiment of the wearable image display device of the present disclosure comprises a pair of left and right eyepiece units corresponding to the user's left and right eyes, a pair of parallel rail sections provided on both the top and bottom of the pair of eyepiece units and having portions extending in the left-right direction, a pair of connecting sections provided on both the left and right sides of the pair of rail sections and connecting the left ends and right ends of the pair of rail sections, and two pairs of guide grooves provided on both the top and bottom of each of the pair of left and right eyepiece units and extending in the left-right direction to receive the parallel rail sections, wherein the connecting sections exert a pressing force to press the rail sections against the bottom of the guide grooves. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, the pair of rails are pressed against the bottom of the guide groove by the connecting portion, so that the rails can be kept parallel in the left-right direction, and the parallelism of the optical axes of the left and right eyepiece units can be maintained with high precision. Moreover, a structure for firmly fixing the rails in a parallel state can be omitted, allowing for simplification and weight reduction of the entire device. In this way, by configuring the pair of rails to be pressed against the bottom of the guide groove, it is possible to simultaneously achieve the trade-off between maintaining the parallelism of the left and right optical axes and simplifying the entire device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wearable image display device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the wearable image display device. [Figure 4] 4A is an enlarged left side view of the wearable image display device, and FIG. 4B is a side view similar to FIG. 4A, in which part of the restricting member of the wearable image display device is omitted. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the restricting member. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a left side view of FIG. 1. [Figure 7]3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams of a nose pad of the wearable image display device. [Figure 8] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a rail portion and a guide groove of the wearable image display device. FIG. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams showing how to adjust the left and right positions of the eyepiece units in the wearable image display device. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams relating to the rotation restriction of each eyepiece unit in the wearable image display device. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a front view of FIG. [Figure 13] 13A is a left side view of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram in which part of the configuration of FIG. 13A is omitted. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a front view of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 15 is a left side view of FIG. 14. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a front view of FIG. 17. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a rail portion and a guide groove in the fifth embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a schematic perspective view similar to FIG. 21, with some components omitted. [Figure 23] FIG. 13 is an enlarged left side view of the wearable image display device according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 24] 13 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a rail portion and a guide groove of a wearable image display device according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. [Figure 25]FIG. 25A is a schematic perspective view for explaining the attached state of each cover in the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 25B is a schematic perspective view similar to FIG. 25A, with some components omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A wearable image display device according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For the sake of convenience, some components may be omitted from the following figures. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" are used based on the directions indicated by arrows in the respective figures (based on the user wearing the wearable image display device). However, the orientations of the components in the following embodiments are merely examples and may be changed to any orientation. Herein, in this specification and claims, the "bottom" of a guide groove refers to the area where a force from the vertical direction (a force that resists the pressing force of the connection portion) can be applied to the rail portion received in the guide groove. Therefore, the "bottom" may also include the area forming the side surface of the guide groove.

[0013] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, in the first embodiment, the wearable image display device 10 is worn on the head of a user U by a band B. The wearable image display device 10 is also called a head-mounted display or VR glasses, and is a device that allows a user to virtually experience images such as video images as if they were displayed on a large screen. The wearable image display device 10 includes a pair of left and right eyepiece units 11 and 12 corresponding to the left and right eyes of the user U, with the left eyepiece unit 11 being for the left eye and the right eyepiece unit 12 being for the right eye.

[0014] The right eyepiece unit 12 has a configuration that is a mirror image of the configuration of the left eyepiece unit 11. Therefore, in the following, the components of the right eyepiece unit 12 that are common to the left eyepiece unit 11 will be given the same component names, and explanations will be omitted by changing the ones digit in the numeral portion of the reference numeral from "1" to "2." Also, in Figure 4, the reference numerals of the left eyepiece unit 11 that are common to the right eyepiece unit 12 will be written in parentheses.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wearable image display device. FIG. 3 is a front view of the wearable image display device. FIG. 4A is an enlarged left side view of the wearable image display device. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4A, the left eyepiece unit 11 includes a cylindrical housing 11a that is open at the rear and has a central axis CL (not shown in FIG. 1) parallel to the front-to-rear direction, and an image display element and an optical system (neither of which are shown) provided inside the housing 11a. The optical axis of the optical system in the left eyepiece unit 11 may be set to be parallel to the front-to-rear direction and coincide with the central axis CL. The housing 11a may be set to any shape depending on the design and function, such as an irregular shape without a central axis extending forward and backward, or a shape with irregularities.

[0016] An eyecup 11b (not shown in FIG. 3) is provided at the rear of the housing 11a. The rear end surface of the eyecup 11b is shaped to fit along the face of a user U (see FIG. 1).

[0017] The left eyepiece unit 11 has groove-forming portions 11c and 11d on the upper and lower sides of the housing 11a. The upper groove-forming portion 11c protrudes upward from the top surface of the housing 11a to form a guide groove 11e, and the lower groove-forming portion 11d protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the housing 11a to form a guide groove 11f. Thus, the left eyepiece unit 11 has one pair of guide grooves 11e and 11f (each eyepiece unit 11, 12 has two pairs of guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f). The upper guide groove 11e has a bottom formed at the bottom, and the lower guide groove 11f has a bottom formed at the top. The detailed configuration of the guide grooves 11e and 11f will be described later.

[0018] Wearable image display device 10 further includes a pair of parallel rails 21, 22, one above the other, and a pair of left and right connectors 23, 24. Upper rail 21 is provided above each of eyepiece units 11, 12, and lower rail 22 is provided below each of eyepiece units 11, 12. Left connector 23 is provided on the left side of left eyepiece unit 11, and right connector 24 is provided on the right side of right eyepiece unit 12.

[0019] Each rail section 21, 22 is formed by a cylindrical or axial elongated body 25, 26 whose outer periphery is circular in a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction. Furthermore, the upper elongated body 25 forms the upper rail section 21 and the upper connectors of each connection section 23, 24 (described later). The upper elongated body 25 extends linearly primarily in the left-right direction, with both left and right ends curved in an arc before sloping downward toward the rear. The upper rail section 21 is formed in the portion of the elongated body 25 that extends linearly in the left-right direction above each eyepiece unit 11, 12.

[0020] Similarly, the lower elongated body 26 forms the lower rail portion 22 and the lower connectors of the connection portions 23, 24, which will be described later. The lower elongated body 26 extends linearly primarily in the left-right direction, with both left and right ends curved in an arc before sloping upward toward the rear. The lower rail portion 22 is formed in the portion of the elongated body 26 that extends linearly in the left-right direction below the eyepiece units 11, 12. The rail portions 21, 22 extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4A, the lower rail portion 22 is located closer to the front (away from the face of the user U) than the upper rail portion 21.

[0021] The left connecting portion 23 is provided on the left side of each rail portion 21, 22 to connect the left ends thereof, and the right connecting portion 24 is provided on the right side of each rail portion 21, 22 to connect the right ends thereof.

[0022] The right-side connection part 24 has a configuration in which the components of the left-side connection part 23 are mirror-inverted. Therefore, the components of the right-side connection part 24 that are common to the left-side connection part 23 have the same component names, and the units digit of the numeral part of the reference numeral is changed from "3" to "4", and the description thereof will be omitted. Also, in the left-side connection part 23 in Figures 4 and 5, the reference numerals of the components that are common to the right-side connection part 24 are written in parentheses.

[0023] The left-side connection portion 23 includes an upper connection body 23a connected to the left end side of the upper rail portion 21, a lower connection body 23b connected to the left end side of the lower rail portion 22, and a regulating member 23c provided on the rear end side of each connection body 23a, 23b.

[0024] The upper connector 23a is formed by a portion that slopes downward toward the rear on the left side of the upper elongated body 25. The upper connector 23a is formed to be continuous with the upper rail portion 21, and the boundary position thereof can be any position in the curved portion of the elongated body 25.

[0025] The lower connector 23b is formed by a portion that slopes upward toward the rear on the left side of the lower elongated body 26. The lower connector 23b is formed to be continuous with the lower rail portion 22, and the boundary position thereof can be any position in the curved portion of the elongated body 26.

[0026] FIG. 4B is a side view similar to FIG. 4A, with a portion of the restricting member of the wearable image display omitted. FIG. 5 is an exploded explanatory view of the restricting member. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 5, left-side connecting portion 23 further includes elastic member 23d, which connects the rear ends of connectors 23a and 23b within restricting member 23c. Elastic member 23d is formed of a torsion spring, and the arm portions of this torsion spring are connected to connectors 23a and 23b. Elastic member 23d exerts a return force in response to the movement of spreading the arm portions, and applies a force that relatively rotates connectors 23a and 23b around the center of the arc-shaped portion of the torsion spring. In other words, elastic member 23d exerts an elastic force in a direction that reduces the angle formed inside connectors 23a and 23b in side view.

[0027] The elastic force of the elastic member 23d causes the connecting bodies 23a, 23b to rotate relative to each other, causing the rail sections 21, 22 to move closer to each other in the vertical direction. This relative displacement presses the rail sections 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f. In other words, the elastic member 23d of the left connecting portion 23 exerts a pressing force that presses the rail sections 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f, causing the left eyepiece unit 11 to be sandwiched between the rail sections 21, 22 from approximately the vertical direction. In this sandwiched state, the left eyepiece unit 11 is positioned in the vertical and front-to-rear directions. While rotation around axes extending in the vertical, front-to-rear, and left-to-right directions is restricted, left-to-right position adjustment along the rail sections 21, 22 is permitted under predetermined conditions. The positioning and adjustment of the left eyepiece unit 11 will be described later.

[0028] The restricting member 23c can be separated into left and right halves and attached to the rear ends of the connecting bodies 23a and 23b in a combined state. The restricting member 23c has an upper receiving groove 23ca that receives the upper connecting body 23a, a lower receiving groove 23cb that receives the lower connecting body 23b, and a circular receiving portion 23cc that receives the elastic member 23d.

[0029] Upper connector 23a comes into contact with upper receiving groove 23ca and preferably fits into it without any gaps. Therefore, the relative displacement between upper connector 23a and upper receiving groove 23ca is restricted and they are fixed, and upper connector 23a is supported by restricting member 23c.

[0030] When the upper connector 23a is supported by the restricting member 23c, a gap S is formed between the lower receiving groove 23cb and the lower connector 23b. Specifically, the lower receiving groove 23cb has an internal space with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the lower connector 23b, allowing the gap S to be formed between the lower receiving groove 23cb and the lower connector 23b. Within this gap S, the lower connector 23b can be displaced by force applied by the elastic member 23d or by fingertip manipulation by the user U. The displacement of the lower connector 23b occurs within a range in which it abuts against the lower receiving groove 23cb. In other words, the lower receiving groove 23cb of the restricting member 23c restricts the relative displacement of the upper connector 23a and the lower connector 23b within a predetermined range. A slot hole 23e for holding the band B is formed at the rear end of the restricting member 23c.

[0031] Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 6, the wearable image display device 10 is worn on the head of a user U with a force F1 applied to the rear end surface 11b1 of the eyecup 11b pressed against the face by a band B attached to the restricting member 23c. The moment Ma caused by the force F1 around an axis CE extending in the left-right direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Fig. 6) passing through the center point between the top and bottom ends of the rear end surface 11b1 of the eyecup 11b satisfies the relationship of the following formula (1-1). Furthermore, the moment Mb caused by the weight F2 of the left eyepiece unit 11 around the axis CE satisfies the relationship of the following formula (1-2). Ma = r1 × F1 (1-1) Mb = r2 × F2 (1-2) Here, r1 in formula (1-1) is the vertical length from the axis CE to the center of the slot hole 23e, and r2 in formula (1-2) is the front-rear length from the axis CE to the center of gravity CG of the left eyepiece unit 11.

[0032] The center of gravity CG of the left eyepiece unit 11 is located forward relative to the axis CE, and the moment Mb rotates left (counterclockwise) in FIG. 6. Therefore, by positioning the center of the slot hole 23e, which starts from the axis CE, on the upper side in the vertical direction, the moment Ma rotates right (clockwise) in FIG. 6, and the two moments Ma and Mb act in directions that cancel each other out. This equalizes the force that the rear end surface 11b1 of the eyecup 11b exerts on the face at the upper and lower ends, improving the wearing comfort of the wearable image display device 10 for the user U. It is particularly preferable to satisfy the following formula (1-3): Ma-Mb = 0 (1-3)

[0033] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the nose pad of the wearable image display device. Fig. 7 shows the wearable image display device 10 of Fig. 1 without the eyepiece units 11 and 12. The wearable image display device 10 has a nose pad 28 provided in the center of the lower rail portion 22 in the left-right direction.

[0034] Nose pad 28 includes rotation support portion 28a through which lower rail portion 22 is inserted, and nose contact portion 28c supported by rotation support portion 28a via connecting piece 28b. Rotation support portion 28a is movable with a predetermined frictional resistance relative to lower rail portion 22, sliding in the rotational direction around lower rail portion 22 and in the extension direction of lower rail portion 22 (left and right direction).

[0035] Furthermore, the frictional force between the rotation support portion 28a and the lower rail portion 22 is set to a magnitude that can regulate their relative positions as long as no intentional external force is applied. When the user U intentionally applies an external force, the height of the nose contact portion 28c of the nose pad 28 can be adjusted by rotating the rotation support portion 28a relative to the lower rail portion 22, and the position of the nose contact portion 28c can be adjusted by moving the rotation support portion 28a left and right. This allows the nose contact portion 28c to make good contact with the nose of the user U.

[0036] Next, guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f will be described. Guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f also have a configuration in which guide grooves 12e and 12f of right eyepiece unit 12 are configured in a mirror image of guide grooves 11e and 11f of left eyepiece unit 11. Therefore, the following description will focus on guide grooves 11e and 11f of left eyepiece unit 11, and guide grooves 12e and 12f of right eyepiece unit 12 will be omitted by using the same structural names and changing the ones digit of the numerals from "1" to "2."

[0037] 2 and 3, the upper and lower guide grooves 11e and 11f extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction, with the upper guide groove 11e receiving the upper rail portion 21 and the lower guide groove 11f receiving the lower rail portion 22. The guide grooves 11e and 11f have a predetermined length in the left-right direction (extension direction), and preferably, in the first embodiment, have a length that is approximately half the left-right width of the left eyepiece unit 11. The left-right length of the guide grooves 11e and 11f may be changed as long as they function to adjust and position the left eyepiece unit 11, as described below, and may be, for example, equal to or greater than the front-rear width.

[0038] 8 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the rail portion and guide groove of the wearable image display device. As shown in FIG. 8, the upper guide groove 11e has a bottom located at the lower side and a shape in which the groove width gradually narrows toward the bottom. The upper guide groove 11e is formed with a first inclined surface 11ea, a second inclined surface 11eb, and a third inclined surface 11ec. The first inclined surface 11ea and the second inclined surface 11eb are in line contact (point contact in the cross-sectional view) with the receiving upper rail portion 21, with the first inclined surface 11ea contacting the front lower side of the upper rail portion 21 and the second inclined surface 11eb contacting the rear lower side of the upper rail portion 21. The bottom of the upper guide groove 11e is formed including the pair of first inclined surface 11ea and second inclined surface 11eb at the front and rear.

[0039] The first inclined surface 11ea extends downward toward the rear, and the second inclined surface 11eb extends downward toward the front. Like the second inclined surface 11eb, the third inclined surface 11ec also extends downward toward the front, but is inclined at an angle closer to the vertical direction than the second inclined surface 11eb. The angle θea of ​​the first inclined surface 11ea relative to the front-to-rear direction is greater than the angle θeb of the second inclined surface 11eb relative to the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the bisector Ce of the first inclined surface 11ea and the second inclined surface 11eb is inclined downward toward the front. The third inclined surface 11ec functions as a stopper when the upper rail portion 21 attempts to move rearward away from at least one of the first inclined surface 11ea and the second inclined surface 11eb. A fourth inclined surface 11ed is formed at the upper end of the first inclined surface 11ea. The fourth inclined surface 11ed functions as a stopper when the upper rail portion 21 moves forward away from at least one of the first inclined surface 11ea and the second inclined surface 11eb.

[0040] The lower guide groove 11f has a bottom located at an upper position and a groove width that gradually narrows as it extends upward. The lower guide groove 11f is formed with a first inclined surface 11fa, a second inclined surface 11fb, and a third inclined surface 11fc. The first inclined surface 11fa and the second inclined surface 11fb are in line contact (point contact in a cross-sectional view) with the receiving lower rail portion 22, with the first inclined surface 11fa contacting the upper front side of the lower rail portion 22 and the second inclined surface 11fb contacting the upper rear side of the lower rail portion 22. The bottom of the lower guide groove 11f is formed to include the pair of first inclined surface 11fa and second inclined surface 11fb at the front and rear.

[0041] The first inclined surface 11fa extends upward toward the rear, and the second inclined surface 11fb extends upward toward the front. Like the second inclined surface 11fb, the third inclined surface 11fc also extends upward toward the front, but is inclined at an angle closer to the vertical direction than the second inclined surface 11fb. The angle θfa of the first inclined surface 11fa relative to the front-to-rear direction is smaller than the angle θfb of the second inclined surface 11fb relative to the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the bisector Cf of the first inclined surface 11fa and the second inclined surface 11fb is inclined downward toward the front. The bisector Ce of the upper guide groove 11e and the bisector Cf of the lower guide groove 11f are aligned or substantially aligned. The third inclined surface 11fc functions as a stopper when the lower rail portion 22 attempts to move rearward away from at least one of the first inclined surface 11fa and the second inclined surface 11fb. A fourth inclined surface 11fd is formed at the lower end of the first inclined surface 11fa. The fourth inclined surface 11fd functions as a stopper when the lower rail portion 22 moves forward away from at least one of the first inclined surface 11fa and the second inclined surface 11fb.

[0042] Next, the positioning of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 in the first embodiment will be described.

[0043] 3 and 4A, each of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 is subjected to a clamping force from above and below by each of the rail portions 21 and 22. Therefore, each of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 is positioned such that its movement relative to each of the rail portions 21 and 22 in the above and below directions is restricted.

[0044] 2 and 4A, the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f receive the rails 21 and 22 so that they are sandwiched between them from the front and rear. During this reception, the elastic members 23d and 24d of the connecting portions 23 and 24 press the rails 21 and 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f. This restricts the relative movement of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 relative to the rails 21 and 22 in the front-rear direction, and also restricts rotational displacement around axes extending in the up-down and left-right directions, thereby positioning the eyepiece units 11 and 12. The restriction of rotational displacement will be described in detail below.

[0045] Furthermore, the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f receive the rail portions 21, 22 over a predetermined length in the left-right direction, thereby restricting rotational displacement of each of the eyepiece units 11, 12 around an axis extending in the front-rear direction.

[0046] 2 and 3, the left and right eyepiece units 11, 12 are positioned with their positions aligned in the up-down and front-to-back directions. This is because the left eyepiece unit 11 and guide grooves 11e, 11f and the right eyepiece unit 12 and guide grooves 12e, 12f have a symmetrical structure and are sandwiched from above and below by the rails 21, 22 that extend parallel to the left and right.

[0047] Furthermore, the elastic members 23d, 24d of the connecting portions 23, 24 press the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f, generating friction between them. This positions the eyepiece units 11, 12 by restricting their relative left-right movement with respect to the rail portions 21, 22. In this way, the eyepiece units 11, 12 are held by the rail portions 21, 22 while being restricted from movement in the three orthogonal axial directions and rotational displacement around these three axes.

[0048] 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams showing how to adjust the left-right position of each eyepiece unit. When adjusting the left-right position of the left eyepiece unit 11, as shown by the arrows marked with the symbol P in Fig. 9A, a pressing force P is applied by the fingers of a user U to bring the right ends of the rails 21 and 22 closer together in the vertical direction.

[0049] As a result, the position where the pressing force P is applied becomes the force point, and the guide grooves 12e, 12f of the right eyepiece unit 12 become the fulcrum, causing the rail sections 21, 22 to rotate and displace so as to tilt left and right. This rotational displacement causes the right regions of the rail sections 21, 22 to move apart in the vertical direction, reducing the force with which the rail sections 21, 22 clamp the left eyepiece unit 11.

[0050] This reduces the pressing force of the rails 21, 22 against the guide grooves 11e, 11f of the left eyepiece unit 11, thereby reducing the friction generated between the rails 21, 22 and the guide grooves 11e, 11f. This reduction in friction guides the guide grooves 11e, 11f and the rails 21, 22, allowing the left eyepiece unit 11 to slide easily, and the position of the left eyepiece unit 11 can be adjusted left and right.

[0051] The rails 21, 22 rotate against the elastic force of the elastic member 23d of the left-side connector 23. Therefore, after adjusting the left eyepiece unit 11 to the left or right, releasing the pressure P returns the rails 21, 22 to their original positions. This allows the left eyepiece unit 11 to be sandwiched between the rails 21, 22 from above and below, restraining the left or right movement of the left eyepiece unit 11. Here, the area where the pressure P is applied by the user U's finger is defined as the operation area A. As long as the operation of applying the pressure P can be performed to the right of the right eyepiece unit 12, the operation area A may be the connectors 24a, 24b of the right-side connector 24, or the area spanning the connectors 24a, 24b and the right areas of the rails 21, 22.

[0052] When adjusting the left-right position of the right eyepiece unit 12, as shown in Figure 9B, a pressing force P is applied to the left ends of the rails 21, 22 so that they approach each other in the vertical direction. This allows the left-right position of the right eyepiece unit 12 to be adjusted in a manner that is the reverse of the manner in which the left-right position of the left eyepiece unit 11 is adjusted. Therefore, when adjusting the left-right position of the right eyepiece unit 12, the operation area A is set to at least one of the left regions of the rails 21, 22 and the connectors 23a, 23b of the left connector 23.

[0053] In the above manner, each of the eyepiece units 11, 12 can be moved and positioned left and right, so that the left and right positions of each of the eyepiece units 11, 12 can be easily adjusted according to the interpupillary distance of the user U. Here, the rails 21, 22, guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f, and connecting parts 23, 24 constitute a pupil distance adjustment mechanism.

[0054] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the elastic members 23d, 24d of the connecting portions 23, 24 press the rails 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f, each made up of the inclined surfaces 11ea, 11eb, 11fa, 11fb, 12ea, 12eb, 12fa, 12fb, thereby holding and positioning the eyepiece units 11, 12. By maintaining the relative positional relationship between the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f and the rails 21, 22, the parallelism of the central axes CL, which form the optical axes of the eyepiece units 11, 12, can be maintained with high precision.

[0055] Here, let us further consider a case where the left eyepiece unit 11 and the right eyepiece unit 12 attempt to rotate in different directions around an axis extending in the left-right direction, as shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 10A. When a force that causes such rotational displacement is applied, focusing on the guide grooves 11e and 12e on the upper sides of the eyepiece units 11 and 12, in the state shown in FIG. 10A, the left guide groove 11e moves relatively rearward, and the right guide groove 12e moves relatively forward. Therefore, as shown separately in FIG. 10A, the upper rail portion 21 attempts to tilt from a position parallel to the left-right direction so that the left end is positioned more rearward than the right end. However, the upper rail portion 21 remains parallel to the left-right direction without tilting as described above. This is because the elastic force of elastic members 23d, 24d (see FIG. 5) presses upper rail portion 21 against inclined surfaces 11ea, 11eb, 12ea, 12eb, which form the bottoms of guide grooves 11e, 12e, maintaining contact between the bottoms of guide grooves 11e, 12e and upper rail portion 21. This maintenance of contact maintains parallelism between guide grooves 11e, 12e and upper rail portion 21. Therefore, above each eyepiece unit 11, 12, the left and right guide grooves 11e, 12e are maintained in the same front-to-rear position, restricting the rotational displacement shown in FIG. 10A.

[0056] This restriction of rotational displacement is also performed in the lower guide grooves 11f, 12f of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 (see FIG. 3), which are rotated 180 degrees from the front as compared to the operation described above. Therefore, the lower rail portion 22 is also maintained parallel in the left-right direction, and thus the upper rail portion 21 and the lower rail portion 22 are maintained parallel. In other words, the rail portions 21, 22 can be maintained parallel, and rotation of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 around an axis extending in the left-right direction can be restricted. Furthermore, by maintaining the rail portions 21, 22 parallel, the position of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 can be adjusted along the rail portions 21, 22 so that it is parallel in the left-right direction.

[0057] Explaining this from a different perspective than that described using Figure 10, focusing on the upper and lower guide grooves 11e, 11f of the left eyepiece unit 11, the rail portions 21, 22 are pressed against the guide grooves 11e, 11f by the elastic force of the elastic member 23d (see Figure 5). This maintains contact between the guide grooves 11e, 11f and the rail portions 21, 22, maintaining the rail portions 21, 22 parallel to each other, thereby restricting rotation of the left eyepiece unit 11 around an axis extending in the left-right direction. By maintaining the rail portions 21, 22 parallel to each other in this way, rotation of the right eyepiece unit 12 around an axis extending in the left-right direction is also restricted.

[0058] This restriction of rotational displacement is also performed in the upper and lower guide grooves 12e, 12f (see Figure 3) of the right eyepiece unit 12, in a state that is left-right reversed when viewed from the front from the above-mentioned operation. Therefore, the guide grooves 12e, 12f of the right eyepiece unit 12 also maintain the rail portions 21, 22 parallel to each other, and restrict rotation of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 around an axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0059] Here, by pressing the rail portions 21 and 22 against the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f, rotation around an axis extending in the left-right direction as well as an axis extending in the up-down direction is restricted. To restrict rotation around these axes, it is preferable to set the left-right length of the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f to be equal to or greater than a predetermined length. The guide groove 11e of the left eyepiece unit 11 will be described below with reference to the explanatory diagram in FIG. 10B.

[0060] A force is applied to the eyecup 11b from the face in a forward direction, but this force may not be uniform in the left-right direction. For example, consider the case where force F3 acts forward as a force biased toward the right end of the eyecup 11b. When force F3 acts, a moment force M1 centered on the left-right center position of guide groove 11e acts on the left eyepiece unit 11. If the distance from the left-right center position of guide groove 11e to the right end of the eyecup 11b is r3, moment force M1 can be calculated using the following equation (2): Moment force M1=F3×r3 (2)

[0061] Furthermore, in the left eyepiece unit 11, a moment force M2 that resists the moment force M1 acts between the guide groove 11e and the upper rail portion 21. The moment force M2 can be calculated by the following equation (3), where F4 is the force applied to the upper rail portion 21 at each of the left and right ends of the guide groove 11e, and L is the length of the guide groove 11e in the left-right direction (overall length). Moment force M2 = F4 × (L / 2) × 2 = F4 × L (3)

[0062] In the left eyepiece unit 11, a moment force M2 of approximately the same magnitude acts not only on the upper guide groove 11e but also on the lower guide groove 11f (see Figure 3). Therefore, when restricting rotation around an axis extending in the vertical direction in the left eyepiece unit 11, the value obtained by multiplying moment force M2 is equal to moment force M1 (M1 = 2 × M2). Therefore, the left-right length L of guide groove 11e can be calculated using the following equation (4): Length L = (F3 / F4 × 2) × r3 (4)

[0063] An examination of equation (4) reveals that the horizontal length L of guide groove 11e is proportional to distance r3. If the biased force F3 acting on eyecup 11b is equal to the sum F4×2 of the forces acting on guide grooves 11e and 11f and rail portions 21 and 22, then F3 / F4×2=1 in equation (4), and the horizontal length L of guide groove 11e is equal to distance r3. Distance r3 is the distance from the horizontal center of guide groove 11e to the right edge of eyecup 11b—in other words, approximately half the horizontal width of left eyepiece unit 11—and this length is set as the horizontal length L of guide groove 11e.

[0064] Compared to the biased force F3 acting on the eyecup 11b, the sum F4×2 of the forces acting on the guide grooves 11e and 11f and the rails 21 and 22 can be made somewhat smaller, for example, to about 2 / 3. As a result, the lateral length L of the guide groove 11e is set to about 1 / 3 of the lateral width of the left eyepiece unit 11.

[0065] In the first embodiment, as described above, the rotation and movement of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 are restricted, so even if the dimensional tolerances of guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f, etc. are set large, the parallelism of the optical axes of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 can be maintained stably and with high precision.

[0066] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the elastic members 23d, 24d of the connecting portions 23, 24 exert a pressing force, so that the parallel state can be maintained without the need for a case, cover, reinforcing frame, or other configuration that would firmly secure the rail portions 21, 22 in a parallel state. This simplifies and lightens the structure for securing the rail portions 21, 22 in a parallel state, thereby facilitating manufacturing while reducing the burden on the user U. In this way, the first embodiment simultaneously achieves the trade-off between simplification of the entire device and maintaining the parallelism of the optical axes of the eyepiece units 11, 12.

[0067] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, it is possible to omit providing a housing that houses both of the eyepiece units 11, 12. Also, the connection sections 23, 24 can be configured to be physically and mechanically separated and connected only by the rail sections 21, 22, and not connected by any other structure than the rail sections 21, 22.

[0068] 9A and 9B, a portion of each rail portion 21, 22 and each connection portion 23, 24 is designated as operation area A, which eliminates the need for a configuration that is used solely for adjusting the position of each eyepiece unit 11, 12, thereby further simplifying the overall device. Furthermore, simply by applying and releasing pressure P to operation area A, it is possible to switch between allowing adjustment of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 and positioning it. This makes it possible to easily and accurately adjust the left-right position of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 according to the interpupillary distance of the user U.

[0069] 4B, the displacement of the lower connectors 23b, 24b can be restricted within a predetermined range by the lower receiving grooves 23cb, 24cb of the restricting members 23c, 24c. This prevents the rails 21, 22 from being too far away from the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, 12f while maintaining the force of the elastic members 23d, 24d acting on the rails 21, 22.

[0070] Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same reference numerals may be used to designate components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the previous embodiments, and their description may be omitted or simplified.

[0071] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 11 to Fig. 13. Fig. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to the second embodiment. Fig. 12 is a front view of Fig. 11. Fig. 13A is a left side view of Fig. 11, and Fig. 13B is an explanatory diagram in which part of the configuration of Fig. 13A is omitted.

[0072] As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in the configuration of the connection portions 23, 24, and replaces the nose pad portion 28 (see FIG. 7) with a nose relief portion 30 (not shown in FIG. 13). The nose relief portion 30 in the second embodiment is formed in the center of the lower rail portion 22 in the left-right direction. The nose relief portion 30 in the second embodiment has a shape that bypasses the nose of the user U in the area corresponding to the nose. This allows the nose relief portion 30 to be placed along the nose of the user U when the wearable image display device 10 is worn on the head of the user U, and allows the nose relief portion 30 and the lower rail portion 22 to be kept out of contact with the nose.

[0073] 13B, in the second embodiment, the left connection part 23 includes a linking body 23f formed to be continuous with the rear ends of both the upper connection part 23a and the lower connection part 23b. In the left connection part 23, the upper connection part 23a, the lower connection part 23b, and the linking body 23f are integrally formed by a single cylindrical or axial member that is partially curved in an arc shape. The left connection part 23 extends between the connection parts with the rail parts 21, 22, and is shaped so that the center part in the extension direction bulges out backward (toward the face of the user U).

[0074] The left connection part 23 is elastically deformed by the integrated connection bodies 23a, 23b and the linking body 23f, and functions similarly to the torsion spring of the elastic member 23d (see FIG. 4B) in the first embodiment. Therefore, the left connection part 23 exerts a returning force in response to the movement of the connection bodies 23a, 23b to spread apart. As a result, the left connection part 23 exerts an elastic force in a direction that brings the front ends of the connection bodies 23a, 23b closer together in the vertical direction in a side view, and exerts a pressing force that presses the rail parts 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f.

[0075] In the second embodiment, the regulating member 23c of the left connecting portion 23 is provided in the shape of a circular cover that covers the connecting body 23f, and a belt or the like (not shown) is held by the regulating member 23c.

[0076] The right-side connecting portion 24 has a configuration in which the respective components of the left-side connecting portion 23 are reversed laterally, and therefore, as with the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted. Here, in the second embodiment, the upper and lower elongated bodies 25, 26 (see FIG. 3) in the first embodiment are connected to each other by connecting bodies 23f, 24f to form an integrated configuration. Thus, in the second embodiment, the rail portions 21, 22, the upper connecting bodies 23a, 24a, the lower connecting bodies 23b, 24b, and the connecting bodies 23f, 24f of each connecting portion 23, 24 are formed by an annular body 31 formed in an endless loop shape.

[0077] In the second embodiment, the upper guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f and the lower guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f are formed at the same or approximately the same position in the front-rear direction, and therefore the rail portions 21 and 22 are also arranged at the same or approximately the same position in the front-rear direction.

[0078] As described above, the second embodiment also presses rail sections 21 and 22 against guide grooves 11e, 11f, 12e, and 12f, thereby maintaining with high precision the parallelism of the optical axes of eyepiece units 11 and 12. Furthermore, the structure connecting rail sections 21 and 22 can be simplified to connectors 23 and 24, resulting in a simplified structure and lighter weight for the entire device.

[0079] [Third embodiment] A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 14 to Fig. 16. Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to the third embodiment. Fig. 15 is a front view of Fig. 14, and Fig. 16 is a left side view of Fig. 14.

[0080] 14 to 16, the third embodiment differs from the second embodiment mainly in the configuration of the rail portions 21, 22 and the connecting portions 23, 24. In the third embodiment, the rail portions 21, 22 are formed only by members extending in the left-right direction, and are configured as separate members from the connecting portions 23, 24.

[0081] In the third embodiment, the left connecting part 23 includes a cylindrical upper connecting body 23g into which the left end of the upper rail part 21 is inserted and connected, and a cylindrical lower connecting body 23h into which the left end of the lower rail part 22 is inserted and connected. The left connecting part 23 also includes an arc-shaped elastic member 23i that is continuous with both of the connecting bodies 23g, 23h and bulges out rearward.

[0082] The curvature of the elastic member 23i changes due to elastic deformation, and the elastic member 23i exerts a force that moves the connecting bodies 23g, 23h closer to each other in response to the movement of the connecting bodies 23g, 23h moving apart. Therefore, the elastic member 23i exerts an elastic force that moves the connecting bodies 23g, 23h closer to each other in the vertical direction, and exerts a pressing force that presses the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f.

[0083] The right-side connecting portion 24 has a configuration in which the respective components of the left-side connecting portion 23 are inverted from side to side, and therefore, similar to the first and second embodiments, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0084] As described above, the third embodiment, like the previous embodiments, can maintain the parallelism of the optical axes of the eyepiece units 11, 12 with high precision, and can simplify and lighten the structure of the entire device. Furthermore, by forming the connectors 23, 24 from molded resin or the like, the connectors 23, 24 can be further simplified and lightened while still exhibiting good elasticity.

[0085] [Fourth embodiment] A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 17 and Fig. 18. Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 18 is a front view of Fig. 17.

[0086] As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 , the fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment mainly in that the configuration of the connection portions 23, 24 is modified and an auxiliary connection portion 33 is added. The auxiliary connection portion 33 in the fourth embodiment is disposed between the eyepiece units 11, 12 and connects the upper rail portion 21 and the nose relief portion 30 (lower rail portion 22). The auxiliary connection portion 33 includes an arc-shaped elastic member 33a that bulges forward. Similar to the elastic member 23i in the third embodiment, the elastic member 33a changes its curvature upon elastic deformation and exerts an elastic force in a direction that moves the rail portions 21, 22 closer together rather than moving them apart. Therefore, the elastic member 33a of the auxiliary connection portion 33 also exerts a pressing force that presses the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f.

[0087] In the left-side connecting portion 23 in the fourth embodiment, the elastic members 23j connected to both of the connecting bodies 23g, 23h are formed in an arc shape that bulges outward in the left-right direction. The curvature of the elastic members 23j also changes due to elastic deformation, and they exert a force that moves the connecting bodies 23g, 23h closer to each other in the vertical direction, thereby exerting a pressing force that presses the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e, 11f.

[0088] By providing the auxiliary connection portion 33, force can be applied to the rail portions 21, 22 from between the eyepiece units 11, 12, stabilizing the pressing force against the guide grooves 11e, 11f. It also prevents the rail portions 21, 22 from accidentally moving away too far and becoming too far away from the guide grooves 11e, 11f.

[0089] The right-side connecting portion 24 has a configuration in which the respective components of the left-side connecting portion 23 are inverted from side to side, and therefore, similar to the third embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0090] As described above, the fourth embodiment, like the previous embodiments, allows for a simplified and lightweight structure of the entire device while maintaining the parallelism of the optical axes of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 with high precision. Furthermore, because the elastic members 23j and 24j of the connecting portions 23 and 24 are formed in an arc shape that bulges out in the left-right direction, the elastic members 23j and 24j can be aligned along the outer peripheries of the housings 11a and 12a. This allows for a reduction in the length of the rails 21 and 22, thereby reducing the device's weight, and also allows for a more compact device by reducing the left-right width of the entire device.

[0091] [Fifth embodiment] A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 19 and Fig. 20. Fig. 19 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to the fifth embodiment. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the rail portion and the guide groove in the fifth embodiment.

[0092] 19, in the fifth embodiment, the configurations of groove formation portions 11c, 11d, 12c, and 12d and guide grooves 11g, 11h, 12g, and 12h are changed from those in the first embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, groove formation portions 12c and 12d and guide grooves 12g and 12h of the right eyepiece unit 12 also have configurations that are the left-right inverse of groove formation portions 11c and 11d and guide grooves 11g and 11h of the left eyepiece unit 11, and similarly to the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0093] The upper groove forming portion 11c forms a passage between itself and the housing 11a through which the upper rail portion 21 passes, and this passage forms a guide groove 11g with its bottom at the top. The lower groove forming portion 11d forms a passage between itself and the housing 11a through which the lower rail portion 22 passes, and this passage forms a guide groove 11h with its bottom at the bottom.

[0094] An elastic member (not shown) in the left-side connecting portion 23 rotates and displaces the connecting bodies 23a, 23b relative to each other, exerting an elastic force in a direction that moves the rail portions 21, 22 apart in the vertical direction. This relative displacement presses the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11g, 11h. In other words, the elastic member in the left-side connecting portion 23 exerts a pressing force that presses the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11g, 11h, causing the left-side eyepiece unit 11 to be pulled in both the vertical and horizontal directions by the rail portions 21, 22.

[0095] 20, the upper guide groove 11g has a shape in which the groove width gradually narrows as it extends upward. The upper guide groove 11g is formed with a first inclined surface 11ga and a second inclined surface 11gb at its bottom, and each inclined surface 11ga, 11gb is in line contact (point contact in cross section) with the receiving upper rail portion 21. The first inclined surface 11ga extends in an upward direction toward the rear, and the second inclined surface 11gb extends in an upward direction toward the front.

[0096] The lower guide groove 11h has a shape in which the groove width gradually narrows as it extends downward. The lower guide groove 11h is formed with a first inclined surface 11ha and a second inclined surface 11hb at its bottom, and each inclined surface 11ha, 11hb is in line contact (point contact in cross section) with the receiving lower rail portion 22. The first inclined surface 11ha extends in a downward direction toward the rear, and the second inclined surface 11hb extends in a downward direction toward the front.

[0097] In the fifth embodiment, the pressing force of each rail portion 21, 22 against the guide grooves 11g, 11h can be reduced by applying a force to at least one of the left and right ends of each rail portion 21, 22 to move them closer together in the vertical direction. This allows the position of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 to be adjusted left and right along each rail portion 21, 22, and by releasing the pressing force of each rail portion 21, 22 after the position adjustment, the left and right movement of each eyepiece unit 11, 12 can be restored to a state in which it is restricted.

[0098] For example, when a force is applied to move the left ends of the rails 21, 22 closer together, both eyepiece units 11, 12 can be moved left and right, but the left eyepiece unit 11 faces less resistance to movement than the right eyepiece unit 12. This is because the guide grooves 11g, 11h located above and below the left eyepiece unit 11 are farther away from the rails 21, 22 than the guide grooves 12g, 12h located above and below the right eyepiece unit 12. This allows the user U to apply force to the left side of the rails 21, 22 when adjusting the left eyepiece unit 11 left and right, and to the right side of the rails 21, 22 when adjusting the right eyepiece unit 12 left and right, improving the ease of adjustment.

[0099] As described above, the fifth embodiment, like the previous embodiments, allows for a simplified and lightweight structure of the entire device while maintaining the parallelism of the optical axes of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 with high precision. Furthermore, in the fifth embodiment, the upper rail portion 21 is covered from above by the guide grooves 11g and 12g, and the lower rail portion 22 is covered from below by the guide grooves 11h and 12h. This allows for a more stable reception of the rail portions 21 and 22 by the guide grooves 11g, 11h, 12g, and 12h.

[0100] [Sixth embodiment] A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 21 to 25. Fig. 21 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable image display device according to the sixth embodiment. Fig. 22 is a schematic perspective view similar to Fig. 21, with some components omitted. Fig. 23 is an enlarged left side view of the wearable image display device according to the sixth embodiment. Fig. 24 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the rail portion and guide groove of the wearable image display device according to the sixth embodiment. Fig. 25A is a schematic perspective view illustrating the attached state of each cover of the sixth embodiment, and Fig. 25B is a schematic perspective view similar to Fig. 25A, with some components omitted.

[0101] 21 and 25, the sixth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it is provided with a left cover 41 and a right cover 42 that cover the front of each of the eyepiece units 11 and 12. The left cover 41 and the right cover 42 will be described later.

[0102] 22 to 24, the sixth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the position of the lower rail portion 22 is changed and the lower rail portion 22 is provided in the vertically central portion on the front side of each eyepiece unit 11, 12. Furthermore, the sixth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the groove-forming portions 11i, 11j, 12i, and 12j and the guide grooves 11m, 11n, 12m, and 12n have configurations that are reversed from the groove-forming portions 11i, 11j, and the guide grooves 11m and 11n of the left eyepiece unit 11 in the sixth embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted, as in the first embodiment.

[0103] Groove formation portions 11i and 11j are provided at vertically spaced positions on the housing 11a in the left eyepiece unit 11. The upper groove formation portion 11i protrudes upward from the top surface of the housing 11a to form a guide groove 11m, and the lower groove formation portion 11j protrudes forward from the vertical center of the front surface of the housing 11a to form a guide groove 11n. Thus, the left eyepiece unit 11 has one pair of guide grooves 11m and 11n that are vertically spaced apart (each of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 has two pairs of guide grooves 11m, 11n, 12m, and 12n).

[0104] The upper and lower guide grooves 11m, 11n extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction, with the upper guide groove 11m receiving the upper rail portion 21 and the lower guide groove 11n receiving the lower rail portion 22. The guide grooves 11m, 11n have a predetermined length in the left-right direction (extension direction), and in the sixth embodiment, the lower guide groove 11n is longer in the left-right direction than the upper guide groove 11m (see FIG. 22). More specifically, the left-right length of the upper guide groove 11m is shorter than half the left-right width of the left eyepiece unit 11, and the lower guide groove 11n has a left-right length that is approximately half the left-right width of the left eyepiece unit 11.

[0105] 24, the upper guide groove 11m has a shape in which the groove width gradually narrows toward the front and bottom. The upper guide groove 11m is formed with a first inclined surface 11ma and a second inclined surface 11mb. The first inclined surface 11ma and the second inclined surface 11mb are in line contact (point contact in the cross-sectional view) with the receiving upper rail portion 21, with the first inclined surface 11ma contacting the front side of the upper rail portion 21 and the second inclined surface 11mb contacting the underside of the upper rail portion 21.

[0106] Both the side surfaces and the bottom of the upper guide groove 11m are formed by the first inclined surface 11ma and the second inclined surface 11mb. Therefore, the bottom of the upper guide groove 11m is formed including the pair of the first inclined surface 11ma and the second inclined surface 11mb, and forms the lower portion of the upper guide groove 11m, similar to the first to fourth embodiments.

[0107] Both the first inclined surface 11ma and the second inclined surface 11mb extend in a direction that descends toward the front, but the first inclined surface 11ma extends at an angle that is close to the up-down direction, and the second inclined surface 11mb extends at an angle that is close to the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the bisector Cm of the first inclined surface 11ma and the second inclined surface 11mb is inclined in a direction that descends toward the front, and more specifically, is inclined along a direction that is approximately halfway between the up-down direction and the front-to-rear direction.

[0108] The lower guide groove 11n has a shape in which the groove width gradually narrows as it extends rearward and upward. The lower guide groove 11n is formed with a first inclined surface 11na and a second inclined surface 11nb. The first inclined surface 11na and the second inclined surface 11nb are in line contact (point contact in cross section) with the receiving lower rail portion 22, with the first inclined surface 11na contacting the upper side of the lower rail portion 22 and the second inclined surface 11nb contacting the rear side of the lower rail portion 22. The bottom of the lower guide groove 11n is formed including the pair of the first inclined surface 11na and the second inclined surface 11nb, and forms the upper portion of the lower guide groove 11n, as in the first to fourth embodiments.

[0109] The first inclined surface 11na extends generally along the front-rear direction, while the second inclined surface 11nb extends in a direction close to the up-down direction and ascending forward. Therefore, the bisector Cn of the first inclined surface 11na and the second inclined surface 11nb slopes downward toward the front, or more specifically, slopes along a direction roughly halfway between the up-down direction and the front-rear direction. The bisector Cm of the upper guide groove 11m and the bisector Cn of the lower guide groove 11n are arranged generally on the same line or roughly parallel to each other with a small distance between them.

[0110] The connecting portions 23, 24 bring the rail portions 21, 22 closer together and press the bottoms of the guide grooves 11m, 11n against each other with a pressing force that is directed along the direction of the bisectors Cm, Cn. Compared to the first embodiment, this pressing force is inclined toward the front-rear direction rather than the up-down direction, but it is exerted in directions that include the up-down direction, so that the left eyepiece unit 11 is sandwiched between the rail portions 21, 22 from roughly the top and bottom.

[0111] A third inclined surface 11nc is formed at the front end of the first inclined surface 11na. The third inclined surface 11nc functions as a stopper when the lower rail portion 22 moves away from at least one of the first inclined surface 11na and the second inclined surface 11nb and attempts to displace forward and upward. A fourth inclined surface 11nd is formed at the lower end of the second inclined surface 11nb. The fourth inclined surface 11nd functions as a stopper when the lower rail portion 22 moves away from at least one of the first inclined surface 11na and the second inclined surface 11nb and attempts to displace backward and downward.

[0112] 21, 25A, and 25B, the left cover 41 includes a cover main body 41a that covers the front of the left eyepiece unit 11, and a side cover 41b that connects to the right end of the cover main body 41a and extends rearward. The right cover 42 includes a cover main body 42a that covers the front of the right eyepiece unit 12, and a side cover 42b that connects to the right end of the cover main body 42a and extends rearward. The right cover 42 has a shape and configuration that is the left cover 41 reversed from side to side.

[0113] Side cover 42b of right cover 42 is provided to cover right connection portion 24 from the right side, and has cushioning pad 42c (shown only in FIG. 25B) on its inner surface. Pad 42c is provided in a position where it comes into contact with restricting member 24c of right connection portion 24. Side cover 41b of left cover 41 is provided to cover left connection portion 23 from the left side. A pad (not shown) is also provided on the inner surface of side cover 41b of left cover 41 so as to come into contact with restricting member 23c of left connection portion 23, and this pad has a configuration similar to pad 42c.

[0114] Each cover body 41a, 42a is formed in a shape used for the lens portion of sunglasses or eyeglasses, such as a rounded rectangle or oval. An attachment member 43 is provided at the position where each cover body 41a, 42a is closest to each other in the left-right direction. The left cover 41 and the right cover 42 are connected and integrated via the attachment member 43.

[0115] The mounting member 43 has a groove 43a with an arc-shaped cross section on its rear surface, and is provided so as to be detachably fittable to the lower rail portion 22 via the groove 43a. Thus, the left cover 41 and the right cover 42 are detachably provided to the lower rail portion 22 via the mounting member 43. With the left cover 41 and the right cover 42 attached via the mounting member 43, the left and right pads 42c (the left pad is not shown) come into contact with the restricting members 23c and 24c. This contact causes deformation of the pad 42c itself and elastic bending deformation of the side covers 41b and 42b outward, thereby exerting a clamping force from the left and right directions, making it possible to more effectively prevent the covers 41 and 42 from shifting positions.

[0116] As described above, the sixth embodiment, like the previous embodiments, allows for a simplified and lightweight structure of the entire device while maintaining the parallelism of the optical axes of the eyepiece units 11 and 12 with high precision. Furthermore, in the sixth embodiment, the covers 41 and 42 can hide and protect the eyepiece units 11 and 12 when viewed from the front. Furthermore, since the mounting member 43 can be fitted to the lower rail portion 22, the covers 41 and 42 can be easily attached and detached using the lower rail portion 22. Furthermore, in the sixth embodiment, the lower rail portion 22 and the lower groove-forming portions 11j and 12j are provided in front of the housings 11a and 12a, thereby reducing the vertical width of the entire wearable image display device 10.

[0117] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made to the embodiments. In the above-described embodiments, the size, shape, direction, etc. shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to these, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the effects of the present invention. In addition, the present invention can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

[0118] For example, the connecting portions 23, 24 may be modified to use, for example, a coil spring, a leaf spring, elastic rubber, or the like, as long as they can press the rail portions 21, 22 against the bottoms of the guide grooves 11e to 11h, 12e to 12h.

[0119] Furthermore, the shape of the housings 11a, 12a of the eyepiece units 11, 12 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and other shapes such as a rectangular tube shape may be adopted.

[0120] Furthermore, in the first, second, fifth and sixth embodiments, the rail portions 21, 22 are configured to have the connecting portions 23, 24 formed in series, but these may also be formed separately and connected by a predetermined connecting structure.

[0121] In the first to fourth and sixth embodiments, the upper guide grooves 11e and 12e may be closed at their tops, and the lower guide grooves 11f and 12f may be closed at their bottoms.

[0122] Furthermore, the structure for attaching the wearable image display device 10 to the head of the user U is not particularly limited, and for example, a structure similar to that of the temples of glasses may be adopted.

[0123] In addition, in the second embodiment, the connecting bodies 23f, 24f are described as having an arc-shaped curved shape, but various shapes can be adopted as long as each connecting portion 23, 24 can be elastically deformed, and the connecting bodies 23f, 24f may be changed to a shape that is bent at a predetermined angle.

[0124] Furthermore, after adjusting the left-right positions of the eyepiece units 11, 12, a jig corresponding to the spacing between the eyepiece units 11, 12 may be attached to at least one of the rail portions 21, 22. By using such a jig, even if another user uses the wearable image display device 10 and changes the left-right positions of the eyepiece units 11, 12, the spacing can be easily restored.

[0125] Furthermore, in the sixth embodiment, the upper groove-forming portions 11i, 12i may be provided so as to protrude forward from the vertical center of the front surface of the housings 11a, 12a, and the lower groove-forming portions 11j, 12j may be provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the housings 11a, 12a. Even in this configuration, the upper and lower groove-forming portions 11i, 11j, 12i, and 12j are positioned vertically apart in each eyepiece unit 11, 12, and the upper and lower guide grooves 11m, 11n, 12m, and 12n are provided vertically apart in each eyepiece unit 11, 12. Furthermore, the covers 41, 42 of the sixth embodiment may be provided as in the other embodiments by detachably attaching the mounting member 43 to one of the rail portions 21, 22. [Industrial Applicability]

[0126] The present invention relates to a wearable image display device that can maintain good parallelism between left and right eyepiece units while simplifying the overall device.

[0127] This application is based on international patent application PCT / JP2021 / 020326 filed on May 28, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.

Claims

1. a pair of left and right eyepiece units corresponding to the left and right eyes of a user; a pair of parallel rail portions provided at vertically spaced positions on the pair of eyepiece units and having portions extending in the left-right direction; a pair of connecting portions provided on both the left and right sides of the pair of rail portions to connect left ends and right ends of the pair of rail portions; two pairs of guide grooves that are provided at positions spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction on each of the pair of left and right eyepiece units, extend in the left-right direction, and receive the rail portions that are parallel to each other; The wearable image display device is characterized in that the connecting portion exerts a pressing force that presses the rail portion against the bottom of the guide groove.

2. 2. The wearable image display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the guide grooves on the upper side of the eyepiece unit and the guide grooves on the lower side of the eyepiece unit is provided on the front side of the eyepiece unit.

3. a pair of left and right eyepiece units corresponding to the left and right eyes of a user; a pair of parallel rails provided on both the upper and lower sides of the pair of eyepiece units and having portions extending in the left-right direction; a pair of connecting portions provided on both the left and right sides of the pair of rail portions to connect left ends and right ends of the pair of rail portions; two pairs of guide grooves that are provided on both the top and bottom of each of the pair of left and right eyepiece units, extend in the left-right direction, and receive the rail portions that are parallel to each other; The wearable image display device is characterized in that the connecting portion exerts a pressing force that presses the rail portion against the bottom of the guide groove.

4. 2. The wearable image display device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the rail portion and the connection portion is provided with an operation area for a user's finger to perform an operation to reduce the pressing force of the connection portion.

5. The guide groove on the upper side of the eyepiece unit has a bottom formed downward, and the guide groove on the lower side of the eyepiece unit has a bottom formed upward, 5. The wearable image display device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion exerts a pressing force against the bottom of the guide groove by bringing the pair of rail portions closer together in the vertical direction.

6. The guide groove on the upper side of the eyepiece unit has a bottom formed upward, and the guide groove on the lower side of the eyepiece unit has a bottom formed downward.

5. The wearable image display device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion exerts a pressing force against the bottom of the guide groove by separating the pair of rail portions in the vertical direction.

7. The wearable image display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the connection portion comprises an upper connector connected to the upper rail portion, a lower connector connected to the lower rail portion, and an elastic member that displaces the upper connector and the lower connector relative to each other to exert a pressing force against the guide groove by the pair of rail portions.

8. 8. The wearable image display device according to claim 7, wherein the connection portion includes a restricting member that restricts relative displacement of the upper connector and the lower connector within a predetermined range.

9. The wearable image display device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the connection portion is formed in a curved or bent shape extending between the connection portions of the pair of rail portions, and exerts a pressing force against the bottom of the guide groove by elastic deformation of the shape.

10. 10. The wearable image display device according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary connection portion is provided between the pair of eyepiece units to connect the pair of rail portions.

11. a left cover that covers the front of the left eyepiece unit; a right cover that covers the front of the right eyepiece unit; a mounting member that connects the left cover and the right cover and is detachably mountable to the rail portion; 11. The wearable image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

Images