Abstract:
A headset for operably disposing a virtual display and optional speaker on the head of a user. The headset, including a cantilevered arm coupled to the headset with a pivot, including a hemispherical dome with at least three points of contact with the display support cantilever arm, and thus the headset, also including a stabilizer further stabilizing the virtual display with respect to the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to headsets, and more particularly, to a headset to operably suspend a virtual display in front of an eye wherein the headset is adjustable to suit the needs of the user yet sufficiently coupled to the head to prevent excess movement of the display.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Virtual displays have continued to improve and get smaller which has resulted in a need for better and more comfortable virtual display headsets. Alternative display supports have employed a helmet which includes a mounted visor or a display headband but these generate discomfort if worn for extended periods of time and also are difficult to stabilize and thus they make it difficult for the user to keep the virtual display at the correct location for optimum viewing.  
         [0005]     Therefore, the need exists for a lightweight headset which is easily adjustable in a controlled manner yet optimizes viewing of the virtual display without causing discomfort during extended periods of use.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The headset of the present invention includes a headpiece for securing a headset to the user, a display boom coupled to the headpiece for supporting a virtual display and a pivot that attaches the display boom to the headpiece allowing positional adjustment of the display around at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the headpiece.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a headset.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an expanded perspective view of a display.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is an expanded perspective view of a portion of the headset.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the headset including a cantilevered arm and a pivot.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the pivot connection.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is another embodiment of the pivot connection.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is another shows the cantilevered arm and the display. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a virtual display headset  10 . The virtual display headset includes a resilient and flexible headband  12 , sometimes referred to as a headpiece, for securing the headset to a users head. The headset includes one or more headband supports  14 , a virtual display  16 , and a cantilevered arm  18 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  also shows a pivot  20  attached to the cantilevered arm  18  and the headpiece  12 . The pivot  20  allows positional adjustment of the cantilevered arm  18  by the user about at least two orthogonal axes with respect to the headpiece. The pivot  20  is capable of rotating the cantilevered arm about all three orthogonal axes. Also shown in  FIG. 1  is an earpiece  22  and a stabilizer  24 .  FIG. 2  shows an expanded perspective view of the virtual display  16  including a display housing  26  and one or more display lenses  28 . It will be clear to those in the art that many different virtual displays can be used in this display headset, some which will appear different from the one shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows an expanded portion of the virtual display headset  10  including the cantilevered arm  18 . The cantilevered arm  18  includes a flexible boom  30  attached to a boom base  32 , which includes an elongated slot  34  to allow translational movement of the virtual display  16  for adjusting the distance of the virtual display  16  from the user&#39;s eye. A rod  36  passes through the elongated slot  34  and through a boom enclosure  38 . The boom enclosure  38  has a first piece  40  and a second piece  42  that encloses and supports the boom base  32 . The flexible boom  30  is preferably hollow to allow wires and other elements capable of transmitting information from the display to the user and back can be contained in the space. The boom enclosure  38  of the cantilevered arm  18  also includes a spring  44  and one or more notched washers  46 . The washers shown have two notches that are capable of engaging two legs or bosses  48  of the first piece of the enclosure  40 . These legs  48  are designed to mate with the second piece  42  of the enclosure through opening(s)  50 . A knob  52  engages the rod  36  that extends through opening  54  in the second piece  42  of the enclosure. This can be a threaded connection or any other types of connection, such as a frictional connection.  
         [0017]     The pivot  20  includes a hemispherical dome  56  capable of engaging a socket  58  on the first piece  40  of the support enclosure  38 . The hemispherical dome  56  has at least three points of contact with the socket  58  so that the two surfaces form a frictional interface wherein the cantilevered arm  18  is rotationally adjustable about two orthogonal axes with respect to the user. The hemispherical dome  56  includes an elongated aperture  60 . An asymmetric collar  62  fits concentrically on the rod  36  and within the elongated aperture  60 . The relational shape and size of the collar  62  allows limited movement of the rod  36  within the aperture  60 . The shape of the aperture and asymmetric collar  62  can determine the amount of movement and the degrees of freedom allowed. The elongated aperture is designed to allow the movement of the display in a controlled manner. The hemispherical dome  56  could take other shapes that would have different curved surfaces desirable for different circumstances.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-section of a portion of the cantilevered arm  18 . Fasteners  61  deployed within the legs  48  can rigidly hold the enclosure  38  together but are not necessary. The cantilevered arm  18  and pivot  20  are assembled with the rod  36  deployed concentrically through the asymmetric collar  62 , the cantilevered arm  18  including elongated opening  34  and its assembled components, and the spring  44  attached to the knob  52 . The knob  52  is adjusted to apply varying compression on the spring  44 . The rod  36  shown in  FIG. 4  has a ball bearing type ending  64  so that it can have limited movement within limits.  
         [0019]     The pivot  20  in  FIG. 5  includes a base plate  66 . The rod  36  may be deployed from behind the base plate  68  and further through a conical opening  68  in the base plate. Alternatively, the ball shaped ending  64  can be in the base plate  68  or other areas of the pivot  20  or in the headpiece  12 .  
         [0020]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the rod  36  can terminate the hemispherical dome or alternatively the stabilizer  24  as shown in  FIG. 7  or other attachment to the headpiece. In this embodiment, the ball bearing  64  is moveable relative to the headpiece  12  allowing gross movement of the cantilevered arm  18 . The flexible boom allows fine tuned movements of the boom  30 . Together, the user can achieve the adjustments desired. It is clear that the asymmetrical collar  62  alone, the cone shaped opening alone, or some combination, could be effectively used to make the controlled adjustments and rotations described herein.  
         [0021]     This combination of gross and fine-tuned adjustment allows for efficient and accurate alignment of the virtual display  16 . The first controlled adjustment that can be made is rotation of the virtual display  16  through one hundred eighty degrees allowing the headset  10  to sit in front of the left or right eye of the user. This is accomplished by adjusting knob  52  to release the second piece  42  from collar  62  and allowing the whole cantilevered arm  18  to be rotated one hundred eighty degrees about the axis of the rod  36 . It would be well known by those in the art that this rotation could be any value up to one hundred eighty degrees. For instance, a rotation of ninety degrees would allow the virtual display  16  to be positioned above the user&#39;s head. A rotation of twenty-five degrees would allow the display  16  to be positioned below or above the eye level. Limits are used to prevent the cantilevered arm from moving more than one hundred eighty degrees.  
         [0022]     The second possible controlled movement of display  16  can be accomplished by moving the cantilevered arm  18  inward or outward along a second orthogonal axis of rotation. This is possible because the rod  36  is located in an asymmetrical collar  62 . It is possible to alternatively or in combination also limit movement with a cone-shaped opening  68  in the rotation and base plate to allow limited angular movement. This movement can be controlled through springs, frictional surfaces, or the limitations of the shape at the end of the rod  64  that locates in the base plate  64 . By adjusting knob  52  in either a longitudinal or rotational manner such that compressional tension in spring  44  is reduced may also achieve movement of the cantilevered arm  18  about the second orthogonal axis by allowing the hemispherical dome  56  and socket  58  to move relative to each other. Control of such movement can be enhanced by the use of frictional materials or adding projections to either surface. Projections on the socket  58  or alternatively on the hemispherical dome  56 , could take many different formats including a series of regularly spaced projections that would allow the cantilevered arm to move a desired angle placing the display at different locations in front of the user at specific, convenient retained positions. These sorts of projections or limits prevent the virtual display  16  from random movement and keeping the display fixed in one position which is extremely important with the virtual-displays of the type of co-pending application of Micro-Video Display with Compact Configuration owned by the same applicant and incorporated by reference.  
         [0023]     Limited controlled rotational movement about a third axis might be desirable. This would allow rotation about the longitudinal axis of the cantilevered arm and would be effected by modifying the shape of the asymmetric collar  62  or the cone shaped opening  66 . Releasing spring  44  and moving the boom base  32  in either longitudinal direction can accomplish the translational movement of the virtual display  16 . The elongated slot  34  controls and limits the extent of this movement. All of these movements are extremely helpful when done in the controlled manner that this invention allows and keeping the virtual display  16  stable and conveniently positioned, allowing efficient adjustments both of a major and minor amount to satisfy the user&#39;s needs and requirements.