Display panel holder and head-mounted display

Abstract

Disclosed is a display panel holder (40) for holding a display panel (10) provided to a head-mounted display (1) worn on the head of a user (U), the display panel holder (40) having a panel-holding part (41) for accommodating and holding therein one or more display panels (10) including a display region for displaying an image. A position adjustment hole for receiving an operation related to adjustment of the position of the display panels (10) from outside of the panel-holding part (41) is formed in the panel-holding part (41).

Description

Display panel holders, head-mounted displays

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display panel holder and a head-mounted display.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a head-mounted display having a display panel for displaying an image is known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] International Publication No. 2016 / 136657

[0004] If the display panel is not held in the correct position, the user will not be able to see the correct image, and will end up viewing a blurred or tilted image.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a display panel holder and a head mounted display that improve the positioning accuracy of the display panel.

[0006] The head-mounted display proposed in the present disclosure is a head-mounted display worn on a user's head, and includes: an eyepiece located in front of the user's eye when the user is wearing the head-mounted display; a display panel including at least a first display area that displays a first image and a second display area that displays a second image discontinuously from the first image; a first lens unit that guides first image light emitted from the first display area to the eyepiece and enlarges the first image for the user to view; and a second lens unit that guides second image light emitted from the second display area to the eyepiece and enlarges the second image for the user to view.

[0007] 11 is a perspective view of an HMD according to the present embodiment, as seen from the front left. FIG. 12 is a left side view of an HMD according to the present embodiment, as seen from the left. FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a display panel and an optical system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a display panel according to the present embodiment, as seen from the front. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a display image when a grid pattern is displayed in each display area. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a display image when a circular object is displayed. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a display image that a user can view through a lens unit when a grid pattern is displayed in each display area. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a display image that a user can view through a lens unit when a circular object is displayed. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a display panel according to a first modified example. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a display panel according to a second modified example. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the display unit as seen diagonally from above right. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the display unit as seen diagonally from below right. FIG. 19 is a front view showing the display unit as seen from the front. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the display unit corresponding to the XI-XI section line in FIG. 10. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the display unit corresponding to the XII-XII section line in FIG. 10. FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a manner in which the position of the display panel is adjusted. FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a manner in which the position of the display panel is adjusted. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of how the position of a display panel is adjusted. 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of how the position of a display panel is adjusted.

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a head-mounted display 1 will be referred to as an "HMD (Head Mounted Display) 1." In the following description, the directions indicated by X1 and X2 in the drawings will be referred to as right and left, respectively, the directions indicated by Y1 and Y2 in the drawings will be referred to as up and down, respectively, and the directions indicated by Z1 and Z2 in the drawings will be referred to as forward and backward, respectively. These directions indicate directions as seen by a user wearing the HMD 1. However, the left-right, up-down, and front-back directions do not indicate strict directions.

[0009] [Overview of HMD 1] Fig. 1A is a perspective view of an HMD according to this embodiment as seen from the front left. Fig. 1B is a left side view of the HMD according to this embodiment as seen from the left. In the following description, the state in which the HMD 1 is worn by a user is referred to as the "usage state." In the usage state, the HMD 1 covers the area in front of the user's eyes.

[0010] The HMD 1 preferably includes a wearing band that surrounds the user's head and a main body housing that is supported on the front of the wearing band. The main body housing contains the display unit 100 and various components that constitute the optical system, such as an eyepiece 200.

[0011] The display unit 100 includes a display panel 10, which will be described later. The display panel 10 may display two-dimensional or three-dimensional images. The display panel 10 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence display device, but the type of the display panel 10 is not particularly limited.

[0012] The HMD 1 shown in Figures 1A and 1B is an example and is not limited thereto. The HMD 1 is only required to be worn on the user's head and to include a display panel that displays images, and the shapes of the attachment band and main body housing are not limited to those shown. Also, Figure 1B shows the display unit 100 and eyepiece 200 schematically, and the shapes and sizes of these are not limited to those shown.

[0013] Next, the configuration of the display panel and optical system in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the display panel and optical system in this embodiment. Figure 3 is a plan view showing a front view of the display panel in this embodiment. While Figure 2 illustrates a display panel and optical system on either the right eye side or the left eye side of the user U, the configuration shown in Figure 2 may be provided on both the right eye side and the left eye side. However, the configuration is not limited to a compound eye lens, and a single eye lens may also be used.

[0014] [Eyepiece 200] The eyepiece 200 constitutes part of the optical system of the HMD 1. When in use, the eyepiece 200 is located in front of the right or left eye of the user U, and is a convex lens that focuses the image light IL emitted from the display panel 10 toward the eyeball of the user U. The eyepiece 200 has the function of enlarging the image displayed on the display panel 10 so that the user can view it. Note that the eyepiece 200 may be composed of two or more lenses. The eyepiece 200 may also be a Fresnel lens or a liquid crystal lens.

[0015] 2, the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece 200 is indicated by a dashed line. The optical axis is an imaginary axis that passes through the center of the lens and is perpendicular to the surface of the lens.

[0016] [Display Unit 100] The display unit 100 includes a plurality of display panels 10 and a plurality of lens units 20 provided corresponding to each of the plurality of display panels 10. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the plurality of display panels 10 are a front panel 10C, a right panel 10R, and a left panel 10L. The front panel 10C, the right panel 10R, and the left panel 10L may be, for example, micro OLEDs of 0.49 inches or less. By arranging three 0.49-inch (2K) micro OLEDs side by side, it is possible to create a micro OLED equivalent to a 1.5-inch (6K) micro OLED in appearance. The cost of using three 0.49-inch micro OLEDs is approximately one-tenth of the cost of using a 1.5-inch micro OLED.

[0017] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the multiple lens units 20 are a front lens unit 20C, a right lens unit 20R, and a left lens unit 20L. These lens units 20, together with an eyepiece lens 200, form an optical system. The lens units 20 are disposed in front of the display panel 10 and are not in contact with the display panel 10. The distance between the lens units 20 and the display panel 10 may be appropriately set to obtain a desired focal length. Note that the distance between the center of the right lens unit 20R and the center of the right panel 10R may be longer than the distance between the center of the front lens unit 20C and the center of the front panel 10C. Similarly, the distance between the center of the left lens unit 20L and the center of the left panel 10L may be longer than the distance between the center of the front lens unit 20C and the center of the front panel 10C. This can improve aberrations. The center of the right lens unit 20R is the portion that faces the right panel 10R and through which the optical axis OR passes, and the center of the right panel 10R is the portion that faces the right lens unit 20R and is located in the center in the vertical and horizontal directions. Similarly, the center of the left lens unit 20L is the portion that faces the left panel 10L and through which the optical axis OL passes, and the center of the left panel 10L is the portion that faces the left lens unit 20L and is located in the center in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0018] In this embodiment, when there is no need to distinguish between the front panel 10C, the right panel 10R, and the left panel 10L, they will simply be referred to as the "display panel 10." Similarly, when there is no need to distinguish between the front lens unit 20C, the right lens unit 20R, and the left lens unit 20L, they will simply be referred to as the "lens unit 20."

[0019] 3, the front panel 10C includes a display area DC and a frame area FC surrounding the display area DC. The display area DC includes a plurality of unit pixels and is an area where an image is displayed. The frame area FC is an area where no image is displayed.

[0020] 2, the front panel 10C is provided in front of the eyepiece 200. Specifically, the front panel 10C is provided on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece 200.

[0021] 3, the right panel 10R includes a display region DR and a frame region FR surrounding the display region DR. The display region DR includes a plurality of pixels and is an area where an image is displayed. The frame region FR is an area where no image is displayed.

[0022] The right panel 10R is provided adjacent to the right side of the front panel 10C. Therefore, the left portion of the frame region FR of the right panel 10R and the right portion of the frame region FC of the front panel 10C are provided adjacent to each other. The right panel 10R is not provided on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece 200. The right panel 10R is provided to the right of the optical axis 200C and faces the eyepiece 200.

[0023] 2, the display surface of the display region DR of the right panel 10R is inclined relative to the display surface of the display region DC so that the right portion of the right panel 10R is closer to the eyepiece lens 200. Specifically, the display surface of the display region DR of the right panel 10R is inclined at 6.5 degrees relative to the display surface of the display region DC of the front panel 10C. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the display surface of the display region DR of the right panel 10R may be inclined at 6 to 7 degrees relative to the display surface of the display region DC of the front panel 10C.

[0024] 3, the left panel 10L includes a display area DL and a frame area FL surrounding the display area DL. The display area DL includes a plurality of pixels and is an area where an image is displayed. The frame area FL is an area where no image is displayed.

[0025] The left panel 10L is provided adjacent to the left side of the front panel 10C. Therefore, the right portion of the frame region FL of the left panel 10L and the left portion of the frame region FC of the front panel 10C are provided adjacent to each other. The left panel 10L is not provided on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece 200. The left panel 10L is provided to the left of the optical axis 200C and faces the eyepiece 200.

[0026] 2, the display surface of the display area DL of the left panel 10L is inclined relative to the display surface of the display area DC so that the left portion of the left panel 10L is closer to the eyepiece lens 200. Specifically, the display surface of the display area DL of the left panel 10L is inclined at 6.5 degrees relative to the display surface of the display area DC of the front panel 10C. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the display surface of the display area DL of the left panel 10L may be inclined at 6 to 7 degrees relative to the display surface of the display area DC of the front panel 10C.

[0027] Each display panel 10 may be a flexible panel having flexibility. For example, the left panel 10L and the right panel 10R may be flexible panels that are curved.

[0028] [Display unit 100: lens section 20] Front lens section 20C is provided in front of eyepiece lens 200. Specifically, front lens section 20C is provided on an extension of optical axis 200C of eyepiece lens 200. Therefore, front lens section 20C is provided opposite front panel 10C.

[0029] The front lens unit 20C is a convex lens that guides the image light IL emitted from the display area DC to the eyepiece 200 and enlarges the display area DC so that it can be viewed by the user. The front lens unit 20C is disposed so that its optical axis OC is perpendicular to the display surface of the front panel 10C. The size of the front lens unit 20C is preferably approximately the same as that of the front panel 10C or large enough to cover at least half of the display surface of the front panel 10C.

[0030] The right lens unit 20R is provided adjacent to the right side of the front lens unit 20C. The right lens unit 20R is provided to the right of the optical axis 200C and faces the eyepiece 200. The right lens unit 20R is not provided on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece 200.

[0031] The right lens unit 20R is a convex lens that guides the image light IL emitted from the display region DR to the eyepiece lens 200, enlarging the display region DR for viewing by the user. The right lens unit 20R is disposed so that its optical axis OR is perpendicular to the display surface of the right panel 10R. Therefore, the optical axis OR is inclined with respect to the optical axis OC. Specifically, the optical axis OR of the right lens unit 20R is inclined at 6.5 degrees with respect to the optical axis OC of the front lens unit 20C. However, this is not limited thereto, and the optical axis OR of the right lens unit 20R may be inclined at 6 to 7 degrees with respect to the optical axis OC of the front lens unit 20C. The size of the right lens unit 20R is preferably approximately the same as that of the right panel 10R, or large enough to cover at least half of the display surface of the right panel 10R.

[0032] The left lens unit 20L is provided adjacent to the left side of the front lens unit 20C. The left lens unit 20L is provided to the left of the optical axis 200C and faces the eyepiece 200. The left lens unit 20L is not provided on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece 200.

[0033] The left lens unit 20L is a convex lens that guides the image light IL emitted from the display area DL to the eyepiece lens 200, enlarging the display area DL for viewing by the user. The left lens unit 20L is disposed so that its optical axis OL is perpendicular to the display surface of the left panel 10L. Therefore, the optical axis OL is inclined with respect to the optical axis OC. Specifically, the optical axis OL of the left lens unit 20L is inclined at 6.5 degrees with respect to the optical axis OC of the front lens unit 20C. However, this is not limited thereto, and the optical axis OL of the left lens unit 20L may be inclined at 6 to 7 degrees with respect to the optical axis OC of the front lens unit 20C. The size of the left lens unit 20L may be approximately the same as that of the left panel 10L, or may be large enough to cover at least half of the display surface of the left panel 10L.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lens unit 20 is an aspherical lens, but this is not limited thereto, and a spherical lens or a free-form lens may also be used. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the front lens unit 20C, the right lens unit 20R, and the left lens unit 20L are integrally configured. However, this is not limited thereto, and these may be separate units. When the front lens unit 20C, the right lens unit 20R, and the left lens unit 20L are integrally configured, it is possible to easily improve the relative positional accuracy of each lens unit. On the other hand, when the front lens unit 20C, the right lens unit 20R, and the left lens unit 20L are separate units, as shown in FIG. 2, the front lens unit 20C, the right lens unit 20R, and the left lens unit 20L may be lenses with the same curved surface shape, thereby reducing mold costs and avoiding complex process management. However, the front lens unit 20C, the right lens unit 20R, and the left lens unit 20L may have different shapes.

[0035] [Display Image] Next, a display image in the HMD 1 of this embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Figs. 4A to 5B. Fig. 4A is a diagram showing an example of a display image when a grid pattern is displayed in each display area. Fig. 4B is a diagram showing an example of a display image when a circular object is displayed. Fig. 5A is a diagram showing an example of a display image that the user can view through the lens unit when a grid pattern is displayed in each display area. Fig. 5B is a diagram showing an example of a display image that the user can view through the lens unit when a circular object is displayed. Note that the upper parts of Figs. 4A to 5B show plan views showing the display panel as viewed from the front (i.e., the plan view shown in Fig. 3), and the lower parts show display images that the user can view.

[0036] Display area DC, display area DR, and display area DL together form a single image. However, as described with reference to Fig. 3, each display panel 10 has a frame area, and therefore, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the single image is displayed with interruptions via the frame area. In other words, the image displayed by display area DC and the image displayed by display area DR are discontinuous, and the image displayed by display area DC and the image displayed by display area DL are discontinuous.

[0037] The bottom part of Fig. 4A shows how a grid pattern is displayed in each display area. As described above, due to the presence of the frame area, the grid patterns displayed in each display area are perceived as being spaced apart from each other.

[0038] The bottom part of Fig. 4B shows how portions of a circular object are displayed in each display area. As described above, due to the presence of the frame area, discontinuous objects are visually recognized.

[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which a lens unit 20 is provided corresponding to each display panel 10. Therefore, the images displayed by each display area can be visually recognized by the user U as one continuous image.

[0040] The lower part of Fig. 5A shows how the spacing between lattice points in the lattice pattern is perceived as being wider than that in the lower part of Fig. 4A. Also, Fig. 5B shows how a single continuous circular object is perceived. The reason why a single continuous object is perceived in this manner is because each lens unit 20 is provided so that the image displayed in each display area is enlarged and perceived.

[0041] When a user views the display areas through the lens unit 20, each display area appears distorted, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 5A. This can be corrected by electronic means. In other words, by performing distortion correction that takes into account the amount of distortion caused by the lens and displays an image that is the inverse of the distortion, each display area appears to have a rectangular outline, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 5B.

[0042] [Summary] The HMD 1 according to this embodiment allows a user to view high-resolution images with a wide angle of view using an inexpensive, small panel. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which multiple lens units 20 are provided corresponding to each of the multiple display panels 10, a continuous image can be viewed by the user even when using a display panel 10 with a frame area.

[0043] Furthermore, using multiple small display panels can reduce costs compared to using one large display panel, because the purchase cost of commercially available display panels can be as much as 10 times or more if a display panel with a display area twice as large is used.

[0044] Generally, in an HMD requiring a wide viewing angle, increasing the resolution of the eyepiece requires the addition of a lens with a diameter and thickness comparable to that of the eyepiece. This results in the HMD becoming larger in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, by adopting a configuration in which multiple lens units 20 are arranged side by side in addition to the eyepiece 200, the focal length of the optical system can be shortened without increasing the thickness of the eyepiece 200 or increasing the curvature of the lens surface. Therefore, an HMD 1 can be provided that achieves high resolution of the displayed image without increasing the size in the front-to-back direction (depth direction). It is preferable that no other lenses are provided between the eyepiece 200 and the lens units 20 in the front-to-back direction.

[0045] Furthermore, the imaging performance of the eyepiece 200 is higher on the side closer to the optical axis 200C and lower on the outer edge of the eyepiece 200. That is, images tend to appear blurred on the outer edge of the eyepiece 200 compared to the vicinity of the optical axis 200C. In this embodiment, by providing a lens unit 20 corresponding to each display area, it is possible to improve visibility even in the area on the outer edge of the eyepiece 200. Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, the right panel 10R and the left panel 10L are tilted relative to the front panel 10C so as to approach the eyepiece 200, which makes it possible to improve visibility even in the area on the outer edge of the eyepiece 200.

[0046] [First Modification] A first modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a display panel in the first modification.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the display unit 100 has three display panels 10, but the number of display panels 10 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the display unit 100 may have six display panels 10. In this case, it is preferable that the display panels are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right and up-down directions, as shown in Fig. 6.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 6 , by using an odd number of display panels 10 aligned horizontally, the display area D of the display panel 10 positioned in the center of the horizontal direction can be located on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece lens 200. However, this is not limited to this, and an even number of display panels 10 may be aligned horizontally. In this case, it is preferable to position the display panels 10 so that the frame area F is not positioned on an extension of the optical axis 200C of the eyepiece lens 200. This is because the area near the extension of the optical axis 200C is the area that is most easily visible to the user. If the frame area F were positioned on an extension of the optical axis 200C and the seams of the viewed image did not match, the user may experience a strong sense of discomfort.

[0049] The number of display panels 10 and lens units 20 is not limited to the examples in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6. At least a plurality of display areas D may be provided, and the number of lens units 20 may be the same as the number of display areas D.

[0050] [Second Modification] A second modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a display panel in the second modification. Note that the upper part of Fig. 7 shows one display panel 10, and the lower part of Fig. 7 shows a display area D that can be viewed without using the lens unit 20.

[0051] In the above embodiment and first modification, an example has been described in which the display unit 100 includes a plurality of display panels 10, but the number of display panels 10 may be one.

[0052] Even when a single display panel 10 is used, the visibility on the outer edge side of the eyepiece lens 200 can be improved by adopting a configuration with multiple lens units 20. Here, in a configuration in which multiple lens units 20 are arranged side by side facing a single display panel 10, the lens units 20 enlarge the display area D, resulting in overlapping views of some of the display areas D. Therefore, in the second modification, instead of the frame area F, a non-display area ND may be intentionally provided in the display area D. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , a non-display area ND may be provided. This results in multiple display areas displaying discontinuous images via the non-display area ND. Alternatively, the same image may be displayed in the overlapping portions of the display area D viewed through the lens units 20.

[0053] [Specific Structure of Display Unit 100] Next, a specific structure of the display unit 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 8 to 12. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the display unit as viewed from diagonally above right. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the display unit as viewed from diagonally below right. Fig. 10 is a front view showing the display unit as viewed from the front. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the display unit corresponding to section line XI-XI in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the display unit corresponding to section line XII-XII in Fig. 10.

[0054] The display unit 100 includes the display panel 10 and lens unit 20 described above, and a display panel holder 40 that holds them. The display panel holder 40 is a housing member that forms the exterior of the display unit 100.

[0055] The display panel holder 40 includes a panel holding portion 41 that houses and holds the display panel 10 therein, and a lens holding portion 42 that holds the lens portion 20 so that it is exposed from the display panel holder 40. The panel holding portion 41 and the lens holding portion 42 may be made of any material as long as they have sufficient strength and rigidity to hold the display panel 10 and the lens portion 20, and may be made of resin or metal.

[0056] The panel holding portion 41 includes a front wall portion 411F, a right wall portion 411R standing rearward on the right side of the front wall portion 411F, and a left wall portion 411L standing rearward on the left side of the front wall portion 411F. The front wall portion 411F, the right wall portion 411R, and the left wall portion 411L form an accommodation space A in which the display panel 10 is accommodated.

[0057] The front wall 411F is provided with holding bases 411a for holding the display panel 10. The holding bases 411a preferably hold the display panel 10 in a manner that allows adjustment of the position and attitude of the display panel 10. For example, the display panel 10 may be held to the holding bases 411a by means of adhesion or adhesive. As shown in Fig. 11 , the holding bases 411a are portions that protrude forward from the front wall 411F corresponding to the front panel 10C, the right panel 10R, and the left panel 10L, respectively, and the protruding surfaces thereof are preferably flat.

[0058] Furthermore, the holding base 411a that holds the right panel 10R may be formed at an angle relative to the holding base 411a that holds the front panel 10C. As a result, the right panel 10R is held on the holding base 411a with the display surface of the display region DR inclined relative to the display surface of the display region DC so that the right part of the right panel 10R approaches the eyepiece lens 200.

[0059] Similarly, the holding base 411a that holds the left panel 10L may be formed at an angle relative to the holding base 411a that holds the front panel 10C. As a result, the left panel 10L is held on the holding base 411a with the display surface of the display area DL inclined relative to the display surface of the display area DC so that the left part of the left panel 10L approaches the eyepiece lens 200.

[0060] The panel holding portion 41 may be fixed to the main body housing (not shown) of the HMD 1 with fasteners such as screws or bolts. Figure 8 and other figures show an example in which a plurality of screw holes SH1 for fastening to the main body housing are formed in the right and left portions of the front wall portion 411F of the panel holding portion 41. The screw holes SH1 are holes that penetrate in the front-rear direction. The panel holding portion 41 is not limited to holes for inserting fasteners, and positioning holes or recesses may also be formed as appropriate.

[0061] The lens holding portion 42 includes an upper edge portion 421U, a lower edge portion 421D, a left edge portion 421L, and a right edge portion 421R. The upper edge portion 421U, the lower edge portion 421D, the left edge portion 421L, and the right edge portion 421R surround and hold the lens portion 20.

[0062] In this embodiment, the front lens portion 20C, the right lens portion 20R, and the left lens portion 20L are integrally configured. That is, the front lens portion 20C, the right lens portion 20R, and the left lens portion 20L are formed by forming three curved lens surfaces on a single lens material. Figure 10 and other figures show an example in which a right held portion 201 protruding rightward from the right portion of the right lens portion 20R and a left held portion 202 protruding leftward from the left portion of the left lens portion 20L are provided. The right held portion 201 and the left held portion 202 are held by the lens holder 42, thereby positioning the front lens portion 20C, the right lens portion 20R, and the left lens portion 20L in the left-right, up-down, and front-to-back directions.

[0063] The lens holding portion 42 may be fixed to the panel holding portion 41 with fasteners such as screws or bolts. Figure 8 and other figures show an example in which a plurality of screw holes SH2 for fastening the lens holding portion 42 to the panel holding portion 41 are formed in the lens holding portion 42. The screw holes SH2 are holes that penetrate in the front-rear direction. Note that the lens holding portion 42 is not limited to holes for inserting fasteners, and positioning holes or recesses may also be formed as appropriate.

[0064] [Position Adjustment of Display Panel 10] Next, the position adjustment of the display panel 10 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 13A to 13C. Figures 13A to 13C are diagrams schematically showing an example of how the position adjustment of the display panel is performed.

[0065] The HMD 1 requires high positional accuracy of the display panel 10. For example, if there is a positional misalignment in the direction of rotation around an axis perpendicular to the display surface of the display panel 10, the user will view a tilted image. In particular, in a configuration using multiple display panels 10, high positional accuracy is required because the display screen is enlarged using lenses. As described with reference to Figures 5A and 5B, etc., multiple images are combined to be viewed as a single image, and if any of the display panels 10 is tilted or otherwise misaligned, problems will occur at the joints between the images. This will cause the user to feel uncomfortable.

[0066] Therefore, this embodiment employs a configuration that allows the position of the display panel 10 to be adjusted after assembling the display unit 100. Specifically, a configuration is employed in which a position adjustment hole is formed in the panel holding portion 41 of the display panel holder 40 to receive operations related to the position adjustment of the display panel 10 from outside the panel holding portion 41.

[0067] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 and other figures, position adjustment holes HC1, HC2, HR1, HR2, HL1, and HL2 are formed in the lower part of the panel holding portion 41. The position adjustment hole HC1 is formed facing the lower edge of the left part of the front panel 10C to be housed in the panel holding portion 41. The position adjustment hole HC2 is formed facing the lower edge of the right part of the front panel 10C to be housed in the panel holding portion 41. The position adjustment hole HR1 is formed facing the lower edge of the left part of the right panel 10R to be housed in the panel holding portion 41. The position adjustment hole HR2 is formed facing the lower edge of the right part of the right panel 10R to be housed in the panel holding portion 41. The position adjustment hole HL1 is formed facing the lower edge of the left part of the left panel 10L to be housed in the panel holding portion 41. The position adjustment hole HL2 is formed facing the lower edge of the right part of the left panel 10L to be housed in the panel holding portion 41.

[0068] Here, the case of adjusting the position of the right panel 10R will be described. FIG. 13A shows a state in which the position adjustment pin 60 is inserted into the position adjustment hole HR2 and the position adjustment pin 60 presses the lower edge of the right portion of the right panel 10R. By performing this operation, the right panel 10R rotates in a direction tilting relative to the up-down and left-right directions of the display surface of the right panel 10R (counterclockwise direction R1 in the figure). On the other hand, FIG. 13B shows a state in which the position adjustment pin 60 is inserted into the position adjustment hole HR1 and the position adjustment pin 60 presses the lower edge of the left portion of the right panel 10R. By performing this operation, the right panel 10R rotates in a direction tilting relative to the up-down and left-right directions of the display surface of the right panel 10R (clockwise direction R2).

[0069] In this way, by using the position adjustment pin 60 to press the right panel 10R from the outside, the inclination of the right panel 10R can be finely adjusted.

[0070] 13C , by simultaneously inserting the position adjustment pin 60 through both the position adjustment holes HR1 and HR2, the lower edges of the right and left portions of the right panel 10R can be pushed. This causes the right panel 10R to translate upward (in the S1 direction). In this way, in this embodiment, the position of the right panel 10R can be adjusted not only in the tilt direction but also in the parallel direction.

[0071] Although the position adjustment of the right panel 10R has been described as an example in FIGS. 13A to 13C, the positions of the front panel 10C and the left panel 10L can also be adjusted in a similar manner.

[0072] 13A and other figures, it is preferable that the display panels 10 are arranged adjacent to each other with a gap large enough to allow for displacement in a tilting direction relative to the vertical and horizontal directions of the display surface. This allows the position of each display panel 10 to be adjusted individually. However, this is not limiting, and the multiple display panels 10 may be integrally configured and their positions may be adjusted integrally.

[0073] Furthermore, the panel holder 41 may be provided with a protrusion for positioning the display panel 10 in the up-down direction before performing the above-described position adjustment. Figures 10 and 11 show a protrusion 415C that protrudes upward and abuts against the lower edge of the front panel 10C for positioning the front panel 10C in the up-down direction. Similarly, protrusions 415R and 415L that protrude upward for positioning the right panel 10R and the left panel 10L in the up-down direction are shown, respectively. Note that these protrusions are not essential.

[0074] Although detailed description will be omitted, the position of the lens unit 20 held by the lens holding unit 42 may also be adjustable in the same manner as the display panel 10. That is, the lens holding unit 42 may also be formed with a lens position adjustment hole for receiving an operation related to the position adjustment of the lens unit 20 from outside the lens holding unit 42.

[0075] In this embodiment, as described above, the display panels 10 and the lens units 20 are not in contact with each other, and therefore the positions of the display panels 10 and the lens units 20 can be adjusted independently.

[0076] By using the display panel holder 40 described above, it is possible to finely adjust the position of the display panel 10 after the display panel 10 is housed inside the holder. Furthermore, by adjusting the position using a means that physically contacts the display panel 10, it is possible to perform delicate position adjustment according to individual differences. Furthermore, by adjusting the position using a means that physically contacts the edge of the display panel 10, the display area of ​​the display panel is not damaged.

[0077] After performing the position adjustment using the physical means described in this embodiment, it is possible to further perform the position adjustment using electronic means related to the display. Position adjustment using electronic means is easy in parallel directions (up and down, left and right directions), but it is difficult to achieve precision in tilt directions, so position adjustment using physical means is more effective.

[0078] [Another Example of Position Adjustment of Display Panel 10] Another example of position adjustment of the display panel 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a diagram schematically showing an example of how the position adjustment of the display panel is performed.

[0079] 14, a female screw is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the position adjustment hole for receiving operations related to position adjustment of the display panel 10 from outside the panel holding portion 41. In this case, as shown in Fig. 14, it is preferable to use a screw 160 having a male screw formed on the outer peripheral surface that engages with the female screw instead of the position adjustment pin 60. It is also preferable to provide an elastic spring 70 between the upper edge of the display panel 10 and a part of the panel holding portion 41.

[0080] FIG. 14 shows how the screw 160 inserted through the position adjustment hole HR2 is moved to press the lower edge of the right part of the right panel 10R and to pull out from the position adjustment hole HR2.

[0081] This allows the tilt of the right panel 10R to be adjusted. That is, similar to the example described with reference to FIG. 13A , the right panel 10R can be rotated in a direction tilting the right panel 10R relative to the up-down and left-right directions of the display surface (counterclockwise direction R1 in the figure). Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 14 , as the screw 160 is pulled out of the position adjustment hole HR2, the elastic spring 70 elastically presses the upper edge of the right portion of the right panel 10R. This causes the right panel 10R to rotate in a direction tilting the right panel 10R relative to the up-down and left-right directions of the display surface (clockwise direction R3 in the figure). Thus, in the example shown in FIG. 14 , if the right panel 10R is moved too far in the R1 direction, it is possible to adjust the position by returning it to the original position.

[0082] 14 does not show the screws for adjusting the position of the left panel 10L. Also, while Fig. 14 shows an example in which two elastic springs 70 are provided in elastic contact with the upper edge of each display panel 10, the number and arrangement of the elastic springs 70 are not limited to this. Also, instead of springs, it is preferable to provide an elastic member that generates an elastic force that acts in the opposite direction to the insertion direction of the screws 160, etc.

[0083] 3, 13A, etc., each display panel 10 may be provided with flexible wiring substrates 80C, 80R, 80L for supplying image signals to the display area thereof. The flexible wiring substrates 80C, 80R, 80L may also be wiring substrates for supplying power.

[0084] The flexible wiring boards 80C, 80R, and 80L may extend in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the display panels 10 (the left-right direction in this embodiment). Figures 3, 13A, and the like show that each flexible wiring board is attached to the top of each display panel 10 and extends upward. As shown in Figure 8, an opening h that exposes the top of the display panel 10 may be formed in the top of the display panel holder 40. As shown in Figure 8, the opening h is formed by a front wall portion 411F, a right wall portion 411R, a left wall portion 411L, and an upper edge portion 421U.

[0085] With the above configuration, it becomes possible to connect the flexible wiring board to each of the multiple display panels 10 housed in the display panel holder 40 from outside the display panel holder 40. Note that the flexible wiring board is not shown in the figures other than Figures 3 and 13A to 13C.

[0086] [Note] For example, the display panel holder and head-mounted display may also have the following configurations: (1) A display panel holder for holding a display panel provided in a head-mounted display worn on a user's head, the display panel holder having a panel holding portion that houses and holds one or more display panels including a display area for displaying images, the panel holding portion having a position adjustment hole formed therein for receiving an operation related to position adjustment of the display panel from outside the panel holding portion. (2) The display panel holder described in (1), the position adjustment hole being formed so as to face at least the lower edge of the right part and the lower edge of the left part of the display panel housed in the panel holding portion. (3) The display panel holder according to (1) or (2), wherein the one or more display panels include at least a first display panel and a second display panel separate from the first display panel, and the panel holding portion is formed with a first position adjustment hole for receiving an operation related to position adjustment of the first display panel from outside the panel holding portion, and a second position adjustment hole for receiving an operation related to position adjustment of the second display panel from outside the panel holding portion. (4) The display panel holder according to (3), wherein the first display panel and the second display panel are arranged adjacent to each other with a gap therebetween that allows displacement in a direction tilting relative to the up-down and left-right directions of their display surfaces. (5) The display panel holder according to (3) or (4), wherein the one or more display panels further include a third display panel, the panel holding portion has a first holding pedestal for holding the first display panel, a second holding pedestal for holding the second display panel, and a third holding pedestal for holding the third display panel, the second holding pedestal being provided adjacent to the first holding pedestal on the left side and inclined with respect to the first holding pedestal, and the third holding pedestal being provided adjacent to the first holding pedestal on the right side and inclined with respect to the first holding pedestal. (6) The display panel holder according to any of (1) to (5), wherein a female screw is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the position adjustment hole.(7) The display panel holder according to (6), wherein the panel holding portion is provided with an elastic member that generates an elastic force in the panel that acts in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of a fastener having a male screw formed on its outer peripheral surface that engages with the female screw. (8) The display panel holder according to any of (1) to (7), including a lens holding portion that holds a lens portion that magnifies the image and allows the user to view it, so that the lens portion is exposed from the display panel holder. (9) The display panel holder according to (8), wherein the lens holding portion is formed with a lens position adjustment hole that receives an operation related to adjusting the position of the lens portion from outside the lens holding portion. (10) A head-mounted display to be worn on a user's head, comprising: an eyepiece positioned in front of the user's eye when the user wears the head-mounted display; one or more display panels including a display area for displaying an image; a lens unit that guides image light emitted from the display area to the eyepiece and enlarges the image for the user to view; and a display panel holder that holds the lens unit and accommodates and holds the one or more display panels therein, wherein the display panel holder has a position adjustment hole formed therein for receiving operations related to adjusting the position of the display panel from outside the display panel holder.

[0087] 1 Head-mounted display, 10 Display panel, 20 Lens unit, 40 Display panel holder, 200 Eyepiece lens

Claims

1. A display panel holder for holding a display panel provided on a head mounted display worn on a user's head, the holder having a panel holding section that houses and holds one or more display panels including a display area for displaying images, the panel holding section having a position adjustment hole formed therein for receiving operations relating to adjusting the position of the display panel from outside the panel holding section.

2. The display panel holder according to claim 1, wherein the position adjustment holes are formed so as to face at least the lower edge of the right part and the lower edge of the left part of the display panel housed in the panel holding portion.

3. A display panel holder as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more display panels include at least a first display panel and a second display panel separate from the first display panel, and the panel holding portion is formed with a first position adjustment hole for receiving an operation relating to position adjustment of the first display panel from outside the panel holding portion, and a second position adjustment hole for receiving an operation relating to position adjustment of the second display panel from outside the panel holding portion.

4. A display panel holder as described in claim 3, wherein the first display panel and the second display panel are arranged adjacent to each other with a gap large enough to allow displacement in a direction tilting relative to the up-down and left-right directions of their display surfaces.

5. A display panel holder as described in claim 3, wherein the one or more display panels further include a third display panel, the panel holding portion has a first holding base for holding the first display panel, a second holding base for holding the second display panel, and a third holding base for holding the third display panel, the second holding base is provided adjacent to the left side of the first holding base and is inclined with respect to the first holding base, and the third holding base is provided adjacent to the right side of the first holding base and is inclined with respect to the first holding base.

6. The display panel holder according to claim 1, wherein a female screw is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the position adjustment hole.

7. A display panel holder as described in claim 6, wherein the panel holding portion is provided with an elastic member that generates an elastic force in the panel that acts in the opposite direction to the insertion direction of a fastener having a male screw formed on its outer peripheral surface that engages with the female screw.

8. The display panel holder according to claim 1, further comprising a lens holding section that holds a lens section that enlarges the image and allows the user to view the image so that the lens section is exposed from the display panel holder.

9. A display panel holder according to claim 8, wherein the lens holding portion is formed with a lens position adjustment hole for receiving an operation relating to the position adjustment of the lens portion from outside the lens holding portion.

10. A head mounted display to be worn on a user's head, comprising: an eyepiece lens located in front of the user's eye when the user is wearing the head mounted display; one or more display panels including a display area for displaying an image; a lens unit that guides image light emitted from the display area to the eyepiece lens and enlarges the image for the user to view; and a display panel holder that holds the lens unit and accommodates and holds the one or more display panels therein, wherein the display panel holder is formed with a position adjustment hole for receiving operations related to adjusting the position of the display panel from outside the display panel holder.

Images