# US 12,178,276 B2 · Positioning and stabilising structure and system incorporating same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,276 B2 - Document ID: US12178276B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/915,033 - Filed: 2020-10-08 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-27 - Assignees: ResMed Pty Ltd - Applicants: Resmed Pty Ltd - Inventors: Ian Andrew Law - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178276B2 ## CPC - A42B 3/085: {Occipital retention systems} - G02B 27/0176: {characterised by mechanical features} - A42B 3/145: {Size adjustment devices} - A61M 2210/06: Head - A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A head-mounted display system includes a head-mounted display unit and a positioning and stabilising structure structured and arranged to hold the head-mounted display unit in an operational position over a user's face in use. The positioning and stabilising structure includes a rear support structure adapted to contact posterior regions of a user's head and at least one connector structured and arranged to interconnect the rear support structure to the head-mounted display unit. The rear support structure is in the form of a hoop comprising an occipital portion configured and arranged engage the user's head along a portion of the occipital bone adjacent a junction where the neck muscles attach to the occipital bone in use. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A head-mounted display system, comprising: a head-mounted display unit; and a positioning and stabilising structure configured to hold the head-mounted display unit in an operational position in front of a user's eyes in use, the positioning and stabilising structure comprising: a rear support structure configured to contact posterior regions of a user's head; a pair of connection straps connected to the rear support structure and configured to adjust a distance between the rear support structure and the head-mounted display unit; and a forehead support strap connected to the rear support structure and configured to connect the rear support structure to a superior region of the head-mounted display unit, wherein the rear support structure has a three-dimensional shape in the form of a hoop prior to contacting the user's head, the hoop comprising an occipital portion configured and arranged engage the user's head along a portion of the occipital bone and a parietal portion configured and arranged to overlay the parietal bones of the user's head in use, wherein the pair of connection straps are disposed between the occipital portion and the parietal portion, wherein the forehead support strap is connected to the parietal portion of the rear support structure, and wherein each of the forehead support strap and the pair of connection straps includes a width that varies along at least a portion of its length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The head-mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein the hoop is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The head-mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein the positioning and stabilising structure further comprises opposing temporal connectors configured to interconnect the pair of connection straps to the head-mounted display unit, the opposing temporal connectors configured to be disposed on opposing sides of the user's head and extend along temporal regions of the user's head. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The head-mounted display system according to claim 3, wherein each of the opposing temporal connectors comprises a temporal arm having an anterior end connected to the head-mounted display unit and a posterior end connected to a respective one of the pair of connection straps. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The head-mounted display system according to claim 4, wherein the temporal arm is rigid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The head-mounted display system according to claim 4, wherein the temporal arm further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the positioning and stabilising structure to fit different size heads. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The head-mounted display system according to claim 6, wherein the adjustment mechanism is disposed at a connection between the posterior end of the temporal arm and the respective one of the pair of connection straps. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The head-mounted display system according to claim 7, wherein the respective one of the pair of connection straps comprises a connection tab configured to connect to the temporal arm and the adjustment mechanism allows for adjustment of an effective length of the connection tab. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The head-mounted display system according to claim 8, wherein the posterior end of the temporal arm includes an eyelet configured to receive the connection tab, and the adjustment mechanism comprises a releasable fastening arrangement configured to fasten the connection tab to the temporal arm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The head-mounted display system according to claim 9, wherein the releasable fastening arrangement is configured to secure a free end of the connection tab back onto a proximal portion of the connection tab. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The head-mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein the forehead support strap is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The head-mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein the forehead support strap further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an effective length of the forehead support strap to fit different size heads. ### Claim 13 A positioning and stabilising structure configured to hold a head-mounted display unit in an operational position in front of a user's eyes in use, the positioning and stabilising structure comprising: a rear support structure configured to contact posterior regions of a user's head; a pair of connection straps connected to the rear support structure and configured to adjust a distance between the rear support structure and the head-mounted display unit; and a forehead support strap connected to the rear support structure and configured to connect the rear support structure to a superior region of the head-mounted display unit, wherein the rear support structure has a three-dimensional shape in the form of a hoop prior to contacting the user's head, the hoop comprising an occipital portion configured and arranged engage the user's head along a portion of the occipital bone and a parietal portion configured and arranged to overlay the parietal bones of the user's head in use, wherein the pair of connection straps are disposed between the occipital portion and the parietal portion, wherein the forehead support strap is connected to the parietal portion of the rear support structure, and wherein each of the forehead support strap and the pair of connection straps includes a width that varies along at least a portion of its length. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 13, wherein the hoop is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 13, further comprising opposing temporal connectors configured to interconnect the pair of connection straps to the head-mounted display unit, the opposing temporal connectors configured to be disposed on opposing sides of the user's head and extend along temporal regions of the user's head. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 15 wherein each of the opposing temporal connectors comprises a temporal arm having an anterior end configured to connect to the head-mounted display unit and a posterior end configured to connect to a respective one of the pair of connection straps. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 16, wherein the temporal arm is rigid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 16, wherein the temporal arm further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the positioning and stabilising structure to fit different size heads. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 18, wherein the adjustment mechanism is disposed at a connection between the posterior end of the temporal arm and the respective one of the pair of connection straps. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 19, wherein the respective one of the pair of connection straps comprises a connection tab configured to connect to the temporal arm and the adjustment mechanism allows for adjustment of an effective length of the connection tab. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 20, wherein the posterior end of the temporal arm includes an eyelet configured to receive the connection tab, and the adjustment mechanism comprises a releasable fastening arrangement configured to fasten the connection tab to the temporal arm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 21, wherein the releasable fastening arrangement is configured to secure a free end of the connection tab back onto a proximal portion of the connection tab. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 13, wherein the forehead support strap is resiliently extensible along at least a portion of its length. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The positioning and stabilising structure according to claim 13, wherein the forehead support strap further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an effective length of the forehead support strap to fit different size heads.