Retractable strap for head-mounted device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable head-mounted devices, such as VR headsets, face challenges with unsecured straps that can get caught on objects, reducing portability and complicating storage due to weight and size constraints, especially as designs become smaller and lighter.
Innovation Solution
A retractable strap mechanism is integrated into the headset, using a retraction mechanism between optical modules and the housing, allowing the modules to move closer together when not in use, freeing up space for strap storage and protecting the modules from damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a retractable strap mechanism is integrated into the headset, then portability and convenience are improved by preventing strap snagging, but device complexity increases due to the additional retraction mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The strap is nested within the housing of the head-mounted device, with the retraction mechanism allowing the strap to be stored inside the device body. This nesting approach consolidates the strap and mechanism within existing structural boundaries, minimizing external complexity while achieving the retractable function.
Solution Approach 2:
The strap system transitions from a static, fixed configuration to a dynamic, movable one. The retraction mechanism enables the strap to move between extended and retracted positions, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs, thereby improving portability without permanent structural additions.
2Volume of moving object
If optical modules are moved closer together to free up space for strap storage, then the retractable strap function is achieved, but the optical module positioning flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing interior is segmented into distinct functional zones: one area dedicated to optical module placement and another area for strap retraction and storage. This segmentation allows the optical modules to be positioned at optimal locations for their function while the retracted strap occupies a separate, predetermined space, eliminating conflict between the two requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
A retraction mechanism acts as an intermediary between the strap and the housing structure. This mechanism mediates the spatial relationship by providing a controlled transition zone that allows the strap to be stored compactly within the housing without directly interfering with optical module positioning, thus preserving positioning flexibility while achieving compact storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable head-mounted device may include (i) a housing that houses a pair of optical modules configured to display images to a user wearing the wearable head-mounted device, (ii) a strap configured to secure the wearable head-mounted device to the user's head, and (iii) one or more retraction mechanisms configured to retract the strap, each retraction mechanism housed within a lateral space between the pair of optical modules and the housing. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.