Optical lens assemblies, head-mounted displays, and related methods
AssigneeFacebook Technolgies, LLC
InventorsJohn M. Cooke, Katherine Marie Smyth, Andrew John Ouderkirk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a deformable element, a structural support element, a substantially transparent deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element, a compliant peripheral component positioned between peripheral portions of the deformable element and the structural support element, and an actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the compliant peripheral component to deform the deformable element and change at least one optical property of the optical lens assembly. Related head-mounted displays and methods of fabricating such optical lens assemblies are also disclosed.
Claims16
An optical lens assembly, comprising:
- a deformable element;
- a structural support element;
- a substantially transparent deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element;
- a compliant peripheral component positioned between peripheral portions of the deformable element and the structural support element;
- and
- at least one electromechanical actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the compliant peripheral component to deform the deformable element and change at least one optical property of the optical lens assembly, wherein the at least one electromechanical actuator comprises at least one of:
- an electroactive material that is coupled to, or that forms at least a portion of, the compliant peripheral component and a driver circuit configured to apply a voltage to the electroactive material;
- an electric motor configured to tension a cable;
- a pneumatic actuator configured to tension a cable;
- a hydraulic actuator configured to tension a cable;
- a voice coil actuator configured to tension a cable;
- or
- a shape-memory alloy.
A head-mounted display, comprising:
- a support housing;
- an optical lens assembly coupled to the support housing, the optical lens assembly comprising:
- a deformable element;
- a structural support element;
- a substantially transparent deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element;
- a compliant peripheral component positioned between peripheral portions of the deformable element and the structural support element;
- and
- at least one electromechanical actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the compliant peripheral component to deform the deformable element and change at least one optical property of the optical lens assembly, wherein the at least one electromechanical actuator comprises at least one of:
- an electroactive material that is coupled to, or that forms at least a portion of, the compliant peripheral component and a driver circuit configured to apply a voltage to the electroactive material;
- an electric motor configured to tension a cable;
- a pneumatic actuator configured to tension a cable;
- a hydraulic actuator configured to tension a cable;
- a voice coil actuator configured to tension a cable;
- or
- a shape-memory alloy;
- and
- a display element coupled to the support housing.
A method of altering at least one optical property of an optical lens assembly, comprising:
- displacing, with at least one electromechanical actuator, at least a portion of a compliant peripheral component positioned between peripheral portions of a deformable element and of a structural support element, wherein the at least one electromechanical actuator comprises at least one of:
- an electroactive material that is coupled to, or that forms at least a portion of, the compliant peripheral component and a driver circuit configured to apply a voltage to the electroactive material;
- an electric motor configured to tension a cable;
- a pneumatic actuator configured to tension a cable;
- a hydraulic actuator configured to tension a cable;
- a voice coil actuator configured to tension a cable;
- or
- a shape-memory alloy;
- deforming, as a result of the displacement of the compliant peripheral component, the deformable element to change at least one optical property of the optical lens assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.