Eyeglass lens for an optical imaging element, and augmented reality glasses
11698534 · 2023-07-11
Assignee
Inventors
- Joerg Puetz (Aalen, DE)
- Momchil Davidkov (Aalen, DE)
- Ramona Ettig (Lauchheim, DE)
- Georg Michels (Aalen, DE)
- Kai Bartel (Lorch, DE)
- Ersun Kartal (Aalen, DE)
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
An eyeglass lens for an optical imaging element for producing a virtual image of an initial image includes a main body and at least one complementary element mounted on the main body. The main body has a material with a first index of refraction n.sub.1. A viscous or solid intermediate layer is arranged between the complementary element and the main body at least in the region where the complementary element overlaps with a reflection section of the main body. The material of the viscous or solid intermediate layer has a second index of refraction n.sub.2 that satisfies the condition n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E). θ.sub.E is an angle of incidence of the light beams of the imaging beam path proceeding from the incoupling section and incident on the reflection section, selected such that at least 50% of the light beams of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence of θ>θ.sub.E.
Claims
1. A spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit that produces a virtual image of an initial image presented on an image generator, the spectacle lens comprising: a main body, comprising: an inner surface to face an eye of a user; an outer surface to face away from the eye; a light guiding portion, which extends between an input coupling portion for input coupling an imaging beam path between the inner surface and the outer surface; and an output coupling structure for coupling the imaging beam path out of the main body, wherein the light guiding portion guides the imaging beam path from the input coupling portion to the output coupling structure by reflection at at least one of a reflection portion of the inner surface and a reflection portion of the outer surface; and at least one complementary element attached to the main body, the at least one complementary element comprising a refractive corrective element located at the inner surface of the main body, and overlapping with at least one reflection portion of the inner surface of the main body, wherein the main body comprises, at least in a layer adjoining the at least one complementary element, a material with a first refractive index n.sub.1, wherein a viscous or solid intermediate layer is arranged between the at least one complementary element and the main body, at least in the overlap region of the at least one complementary element with the at least one reflection portion of at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the main body, wherein the viscous or solid intermediate layer comprise a material that has a second refractive index n.sub.2, which satisfies the condition n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E), where θ.sub.E represents an angle of incidence of the light rays of the imaging beam path that emanate from the input coupling portion and that are incident on the reflection portion, the angle of incidence selected such that at least 50% of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E.
2. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the angle of incidence θ.sub.E is selected such that at least 75% of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E.
3. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the condition n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E) is satisfied in the entire wavelength range of the imaging beam path.
4. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the condition n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E) is satisfied in the entire visible wavelength range.
5. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the material of the viscous or solid intermediate layer absorbs less than 20% of the light rays of the imaging beam path.
6. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the at least one complementary element has a third refractive index that does not differ from the first refractive index by more than 5 parts per thousand.
7. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the at least one complementary element has a third refractive index that does not differ from the first refractive index by more than 1 part per thousand.
8. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the viscous or solid intermediate layer is present in the entire region in which the at least one complementary element is attached to the main body.
9. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a surface layer at least on a region of the light guiding portion.
10. The spectacle lens as claimed in claim 9, wherein the surface layer of the main body comprises at least one layer, adjoining the viscous or solid intermediate layer, formed of a material having a refractive index that does not differ from the first refractive index by more than 5 parts per thousand.
11. The spectacle lens as claimed in claim 10, wherein the surface layer of the main body comprises a plurality of layers, wherein each of the plurality of layers comprise materials whose refractive indices are greater than the second refractive index n.sub.2, wherein the layer adjoining the viscous or solid intermediate layer comprises the material having the refractive index that does not differ from the first refractive index n.sub.1 by more than 5 parts per thousand, and wherein the refractive indices of each of the plurality of layers increases proceeding from the layer adjoining the viscous or solid intermediate layer.
12. The spectacle lens of claim 9, wherein a film or a shaped part is disposed between the viscous or solid intermediate layer and the main body or between the viscous or the solid intermediate layer and the surface layer of the main body.
13. The spectacle lens of claim 9, wherein at least one of the viscous or solid intermediate layer and/or the material of the surface layer comprise an adhesive.
14. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the material of the viscous or solid intermediate layer is applied to a carrier material, which is applied to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the main body.
15. The spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflection portion of the inner surface or of the outer surface of the main body comprises a free form.
16. An imaging optical unit for producing a virtual image of an initial image presented on an image generator, comprising at least one spectacle lens as claimed in claim 1.
17. A pair of smartglasses, comprising at least one imaging optical unit as claimed in claim 16.
18. A spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit that produces a virtual image of an initial image presented on an image generator, the spectacle lens comprising: a main body, comprising an inner surface to face the eye; an outer surface to face away from the eye and a light guiding portion, which extends between an input coupling portion for input coupling an imaging beam path between the inner surface and the outer surface; and an output coupling structure for coupling the imaging beam path out of the main body and in which light guiding portion the input coupled imaging beam path is guided to the output coupling structure by reflection at at least one of a reflection portion of the inner surface and a reflection portion of the outer surface; and at least one complementary element attached to the main body, the at least one complementary element comprising a refractive corrective element located at the inner surface of the main body, and overlapping with at least one reflection portion of the inner surface of the main body, wherein the main body comprises, at least in a layer adjoining the at least one complementary element, a material with a first refractive index n.sub.1, wherein a viscous or solid intermediate layer is arranged between the at least one complementary element and the main body, at least in the overlap region of the at least one complementary element with the at least one reflection portion of at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the main body, wherein the viscous or solid intermediate layer comprise a material that has a second refractive index n.sub.2, which satisfies the condition n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E), where θ.sub.E represents an angle of incidence of the light rays of the imaging beam path that emanate from the input coupling portion and that are incident on the reflection portion, the angle of incidence selected such that at least 50% of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E, wherein the main body comprises a surface layer at least on a region of the light guiding portion, wherein the surface layer of the main body comprises a material with a refractive index gradient, wherein a lowest refractive index of the refractive index gradient does not differ from the first refractive index n.sub.1 by more than 5 parts per thousand, and wherein the surface layer is oriented such that, with the lowest refractive index, the surface layer adjoins the viscous or solid intermediate layer.
19. A spectacle lens for an imaging optical unit that produces a virtual image of an initial image presented on an image generator, the spectacle lens comprising: a main body, comprising an inner surface to face the eye; an outer surface to face away from the eye and a light guiding portion, which extends between an input coupling portion for input coupling an imaging beam path between the inner surface and the outer surface; and an output coupling structure for coupling the imaging beam path out of the main body and in which light guiding portion the input coupled imaging beam path is guided to the output coupling structure by reflection at at least one of a reflection portion of the inner surface and a reflection portion of the outer surface; and at least one complementary element attached to the main body, the at least one complementary element comprising a refractive corrective element located at the inner surface of the main body, and overlapping with at least one reflection portion of the inner surface of the main body, wherein the main body comprises, at least in a layer adjoining the at least one complementary element, a material with a first refractive index n.sub.1, wherein a viscous or solid intermediate layer is arranged between the at least one complementary element and the main body, at least in the overlap region of the at least one complementary element with the at least one reflection portion of the inner surface of the main body, wherein the viscous or solid intermediate layer comprise a material that has a second refractive index n.sub.2, which satisfies the condition n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E), where θ.sub.E represents an angle of incidence of the light rays of the imaging beam path that emanate from the input coupling portion and that are incident on the reflection portion, the angle of incidence selected such that at least 50% of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E, wherein the at least one reflection portion of the inner surface or of the outer surface of the main body comprises a free form, wherein the viscous or solid intermediate layer has a uniform thickness, wherein a capping layer is disposed on a side of the viscous or solid intermediate layer facing away from the main body, wherein the capping layer comprises the material of the main body or a material having a fourth refractive index, wherein the fourth refractive index does not differ from the first refractive index n.sub.1 by more than 5 parts per thousand, and wherein the capping layer has an optically plane spherical surface on a side thereof that faces away from the first intermediate layer.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5) While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular example embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(6) In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to various exemplary embodiments. Nevertheless, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, environment, application, or particular implementation described herein. Therefore, descriptions of these example embodiments are only provided for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention.
(7) The invention will be described below using the example of a pair of smartglasses with a spectacle lens according to the invention. The spectacle lens is part of an imaging optical unit for producing a virtual image of an initial image presented on an image generator. A corresponding pair of smartglasses 1 is shown in
(8) The smartglasses 1 comprise two spectacle lenses 3, 5, which are held by a spectacle frame 7 with two spectacle earpieces 9, 11. The spectacle lenses each comprise a main body 41 which, when the glasses are worn, has an inner surface 13 (visible in
(9) In the present exemplary embodiment, the block forming the input coupling device 23 and the spectacle lens 3 were formed as separate units and were subsequently cemented to one another. However, both units can also be produced as a monolithic component by shaping or by processing. Here, the black forming the input coupling device 23 and the spectacle lens 3 can be produced from the same material or from different materials.
(10) In addition to input coupling the imaging beam path emanating from the image generator 21 into the spectacle lens 3, the input coupling apparatus 23 can also serve to collimate the divergent beams of the imaging beam path emanating from the pixels of the initial image presented by the image generator 21. To this end, the entry surface 24, the first mirror surface 27 and the second mirror surface 29 can have correspondingly curved surfaces. By way of example, the entry surface 24 can be embodied as an ellipsoid surface while the two mirror surfaces 27, 29 are each embodied as a hyperbolic surface. Together, the spectacle lens 3 and the input coupling device 23 form the imaging optical unit of the smartglasses 1, which produces a virtual image of the initial image presented on the image generator 21.
(11) The imaging beam path collimated by means of the entry surface 24 and the two mirror surfaces 27, 29 is input coupled into the main body 41 between the inner surface 13 and the outer surface 17 by the input coupling device 23 via the input coupling portion 25 of the main body 41. In the main body 41, the imaging beam path then is guided by means of total internal reflection at the outer surface 17 and the inner surface 13 of the main body 41 to an output coupling structure which is embodied as a Fresnel structure 31 in the present case. The collimated imaging beam path is output coupled from the Fresnel structure 31 by virtue of being reflected in the direction of the inner surface 17 of the main body 41 in such a way that it emerges from the spectacle lens 3 therethrough in refractive fashion in the direction of the output pupil 33 of the imaging optical unit. When the smartglasses 1 are worn, the output pupil 33 is situated at the location of the pupil 35 of the user eye.
(12) An example of a Fresnel structure 31, as can find use in the imaging optical unit of the smartglasses 1, is described in
(13) On the path to the Fresnel structure 31, there are four instances of total internal reflection in the main body 41 after input coupling of the imaging beam path, the first of said total internal reflections occurring at a reflection portion R1 of the outer surface 17 of the main body 41, the second total internal reflections occurring at the reflection portion R2 of the inner surface 13 of the main body 41, the third total internal reflections occurring, again, at a reflection portion R3 of the outer surface 17 of the main body 41 and the fourth total internal reflections finally occurring, again, at a reflection portion R4 of the inner surface 13 of the main body 41. The Fresnel structure 31 is situated in the outer surface of the main body 41, the imaging beam path being reflected thereto by the fourth reflection portion R4. Then, as described, the imaging beam path is output coupled from the spectacle lens 3 in the direction of the output pupil of the imaging optical unit by means of the Fresnel structure 31.
(14) In the present exemplary embodiment, the spectacle lens 3 comprises a complementary element in the form of a corrective lens 43 arranged at the main body 41, said corrective lens compensating a refractive error of the user of the smartglasses. The corrective lens 43, which, like the main body 41, can be produced from an organic glass or mineral glass, is attached to the main body 41 by means of an adhesive layer 45, which forms an intermediate layer between the main body 41 and the corrective lens 43. Here, the material of the main body has a first refractive index n.sub.1 and the adhesive of the adhesive layer 45 has a second refractive index n.sub.2. The material of the corrective lens has a refractive index which, in particular, may, but need not, correspond to the first refractive index n.sub.1 of the main body material.
(15) So that total internal reflection can occur at the inner surface 13 of the main body 41 that forms the interface of the main body 41 to the adhesive layer 45, the angle of incidence θ.sub.E of the rays of the imaging beam path must, in relation to the surface normal of a surface element on which the total internal reflection should take place, be greater than the critical angle θ.sub.G for the occurrence of a total internal reflection. Here, the critical angle is determined by the ratio of the first refractive index n.sub.1, i.e., the refractive index of the material of the main body 41, to the second refractive index n.sub.2, i.e., the refractive index of the adhesive 45 of the intermediate layer and it can be calculated from the equation
θ.sub.G=arcsin(n.sub.2/n.sub.1) (1).
(16) The angle of incidence θ.sub.E of the rays of the imaging beam path on the reflecting surface element and the refractive index n.sub.1 of the material of the main body 41 are known for a given design of the main body 41 and the input coupling device 23. So that total internal reflection can occur, the refractive index n.sub.2 of the intermediate layer 45 formed by the adhesive now needs to be selected in such a way that the critical angle θ.sub.G is less than the angle of incidence θ.sub.E. This is satisfied if the inequality
n.sub.2<n.sub.1 sin(θ.sub.E) (2)
(17) is satisfied at the reflecting surface element. Since sin(θ.sub.E) is always less than or equal to 1, the second refractive index n.sub.2 must therefore be less than the first refractive index n.sub.1. Here, how much smaller than n.sub.1 this has to be depends on the angle of incidence θ.sub.E on the surface element—and hence on the design of the main body 41 and the input coupling device 23. Now, an angle of incidence θ.sub.E is set within the scope of the invention, said angle of incidence being chosen in such a way that at least 50% of the light rays of the imaging beam path, in particular at least 75% of the light rays of the imaging beam path, have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E at the reflection portion. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle of incidence θ.sub.E is chosen in such a way that at least 90% of the light rays, more preferably at least 95% and ideally 100% of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E at the reflection portion. The upper limit for a suitable refractive index n.sub.2 is then established on the basis of the set angle of incidence θ.sub.E with the aid of the inequality (2). Finally, a material with a suitable refractive index can be selected for the intermediate layer on the basis of the established refractive index n.sub.2.
(18) In the reflection portion, there can be zones in which less than 90% (or 50%, 75%, 95% or 100%) of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E for as long as 90% (or 50% 75%, 95% or 100%) of the light rays, as seen over the entire reflection portion, have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E and the zones in which less than 90% (or 50%, 75%, 95% or 100%) of the light rays have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E are kept so small spatially that spatial intensity variations in the virtual image either are not perceived or at least are not perceived as bothersome. Here, the zones in which less than 90% (or 50%, 75%, 95% or 100%) of the light rays have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E can be spatially ever larger, the closer the proportion of light rays which have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E lies to the required percentage in these zones.
(19) Should the reflection portion be a free-form surface that co-forms or corrects the imaging, θ.sub.E is chosen in such a way that at least 90% (or 50%, 75% or 95% or 100%) of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E at each point of the free-form surface so as not to impair the effect of the free-form surface that co-forms or corrects the imaging. Here, it should be noted that, as a rule, the light rays of the imaging beam path are not completely collimated but instead typically have a small divergence, which is removed by the output coupling structure, for example, by a final collimation of the imaging beam path that is output coupled in the direction of the eye.
(20) In the present exemplary embodiment, the main body 41 comprises a glass with a first refractive index of n.sub.1=1.7. The smallest angle of incidence θ.sub.E is approximately 55° and the adhesive material of intermediate layer 45 has a second refractive index n.sub.2=1.3. The critical angle for total internal reflection is consequently 49.9°, i.e., 50° in round figures. Consequently, it is clear that total internal reflection occurs at an angle of incidence of 55°. So that total internal reflection can occur at the angle of incidence 55°, the second refractive index n.sub.2, i.e., that of the adhesive material according to equation 2, must not exceed a value of 1.39. A different upper limit for the refractive index n.sub.2 of the adhesive material would arise in the case of other angles of incidence θ.sub.E and/or in the case of a different refractive index n.sub.1 of the main body material.
(21) If a plurality of reflection portions in which total internal reflections should occur are present in an area of the main body 41 (in the present exemplary embodiment, total internal reflections occur in the reflection portions R2 and R4 of the inner surface 13), an angle of incidence θ.sub.E1, θ.sub.E2 is set for each reflection portion R2, R4, wherein the angles of incidence θ.sub.E1 and θ.sub.E2 are chosen in such a way that at least 75% of the light rays, preferably 90%, further preferably at least 95% and ideally 100% of the light rays of the imaging beam path have an angle of incidence θ>θ.sub.E2 and θ>θ.sub.E4, respectively, at the respective reflection portion R2, R4. For the purposes of establishing the refractive index n.sub.2 of the material of the intermediate layer, the smallest of these angles of incidence θ.sub.E2, θ.sub.E4 is then chosen as the angle of incidence θ.sub.E to be inserted into the inequality (2). This ensures that the established refractive index n.sub.2 is suitable for each of the reflection portions.
(22) The example of a spectacle lens according to the invention, described with reference to
(23) Exemplary materials for the main body 41 and/or for complementary elements made of glass are transparent organic or mineral glasses, wherein, in principle, use can also be made of crystalline or ceramic materials (e.g., oxides, halides) in addition to inorganic glass-like materials. In particular, transparent organic thermoplastics such as PC (polycarbonate), PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), microcrystalline PA (polyimide) and COP/COC (cyclic olefin polymers and copolymers) and transparent thermosets, for example on the basis of acrylates, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythiourethanes and ADC (allyl diglycol carbonate) can be used as organic glasses.
(24) In principle, structural adhesives or pressure-sensitive adhesives which have sufficient transparency in the relevant spectral range can be used as adhesives. Examples to this end are found in the group of acrylates, urethanes, epoxy/amines, epoxy/thiols and thiolenes, wherein the sulfur-containing materials are of interest, in particular for higher-refractive-index adhesives with refractive indices of greater than approximately 1.54.
(25) In particular, fluoroacrylates and fluorourethaneacrylates should be mentioned from the class of low-refractive-index materials, by means of which refractive indices down to 1.32 can be realized, and LSR (liquid silicone rubber). These adhesives are particularly suitable as intermediate layer 45.
(26) In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
(27) Examples of spectacle lenses with different configurations of the low-refractive-index intermediate layers are described below with reference to
(28)
(29) In the region of the output coupling structure 31, which is formed by a Fresnel structure as shown in
(30) By way of example, the film 49 can be a sunglasses component, which has an absorbing, reflecting or polarizing coating or color for reducing the transmission through the spectacle lens 3. Here, the coating or color can be present already before adhesive bonding the film 49 to the main body 41 or it can be applied thereto or introduced therein after adhesively bonding the film 49 to the main body 41.
(31) A development of the embodiment variant shown in
(32) A further development of the embodiment variant illustrated in
(33) In
(34) In
(35) The film 57 facilitates a larger selection of material combinations since it may serve as an adhesion imparting layer if the adhesive of the refractive-index-matched adhesive layer 55 and the adhesive of the layer 51 with the second refractive index n.sub.2 only adhere poorly to one another. Moreover, the film offers advantages from a production point of view since at least the adhesive layer 51 with the second refractive index n.sub.2 can be applied to the film 57 before the latter is applied to the refractive-index-matched adhesive layer 55. The film can simplify the production of the spectacle lens to the extent that it can serve as a form when curing the intermediate layer and it predetermines the geometry. It would also be conceivable to use this film for curing only and to remove it thereafter. In this case, the surface of the film is treated in such a way that it can easily be detached from the intermediate layer again. Moreover, it is possible also to already apply the functional layer 49 (in the form of a further film or in the form of a coating) on to the adhesive layer 51 with the second refractive index n.sub.2 before the entire layer system is applied to the refractive-index-matched adhesive layer 55. In addition or as an alternative thereto, there is the option of applying the refractive-index-matched adhesive layer 55 onto the film 57 in advance and subsequently adhesively bonding the film 57 to the main body 41 with the aid of the refractive-index-matched adhesive layer 55. In a further alternative, adhesive can be applied to both components, i.e., the film 57 and the main body 41, with the components then subsequently being joined.
(36)
(37) A further embodiment variant for a spectacle lens 3 according to the invention is shown in
(38)
(39) An even further embodiment variant of the spectacle lens 3 according to the invention is illustrated in
(40) The present invention was described in detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments, with reference being made to the attached figures for explanation purposes. However, the exemplary embodiments should only provide concepts for realizing the invention to a person skilled in the art and should not restrict the invention to the illustrated exemplary embodiments. As already described at various points in the exemplary embodiments, there can be deviations from the described exemplary embodiments within the scope of the invention. By way of example, there can be refractive output coupling or diffractive output coupling instead of reflective output coupling, as described in the exemplary embodiments. The principle of refractive output coupling is described in, for example, DE 10 2014 115 341, reference being made thereto in view of the basic design of refractive output coupling structures. Further examples of reflective or refractive output coupling structures are also described in US 2012/0002294 A1, reference likewise being made thereto. Moreover, reference is made to US 2006/0126181 A1 and US 2010/0220295 A1 in respect of output coupling structures that are based on diffraction gratings. Furthermore, the corrective lens need not be arranged on the inner surface of the main body; instead, it can be arranged on the outer surface of the main body. Moreover, it is possible to divide the corrective effect between two corrective lenses, one of which is arranged on the inner surface and the other of which is arranged on the outer surface of the main body. A corresponding statement also applies to other functional elements which are suitable as complementary elements on the main body. Moreover, the features of the individual exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another. Therefore, the present invention should only be restricted by the attached claims.
(41) While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products. Moreover, features or aspects of various example embodiments may be mixed and matched (even if such combination is not explicitly described herein) without departing from the scope of the invention.