Microsoft hires Sam Altman to lead their new AI team after a Drama filled weekend with OpenAI's Board asking Altman to step Down as CEO
Meta's Push for a custom AR OS to better take on Apple's visionOS blew up on Friday when their Head of AR Software stepped down

Apple invents a battery mount on the back of Vision Pro's headband to help counterbalance the weight of the HMD that causes neck strain

1 cover Apple Vision Pro with battery accessory and battery mount patent

In October, Mark Gurman reported that there were early complaints from some testers about neck strain and that Apple was working on a solution. Over the weekend, Patently Apple discovered an international patent filing from Apple that addressed this issue to some degree. Apple noted that there is a need for a head-mountable device with improved balance to reduce user fatigue when using the device. The balance could come by way of providing for the accessory battery to have a mount on the back of the headband.  the weight of the accessory held by the mount can be approximately equal to the weight of the HMD. Thus, a center of mass of the HMD assembly can be shifted from the user’ s face to the center of the user’ s head, thereby alleviating neck strain. Interestingly, the patent was filed just a month prior to Vision Pro being introduced at their WWDC23 event.

Apple notes in their patent background that a head-mountable assembly including an auxiliary or supplementary battery that can supplement a primary battery of the device. Including an auxiliary battery comes with the additional challenge of cable management. Thus, there is a need for a head-mountable assembly having a cable management system as well.

An additional challenge arises from the unbalanced weight distribution experienced by a user while wearing the head-mountable display. The nature of head-mountable displays requires that they be worn in front of the user’s eyes meaning that the center of mass of the HMD is often positioned in front of the user’ s face. This can result in the user experiencing muscle fatigue or neck strain due to the rotational torque put on the user’s head and neck. Thus, there is a need for a head-mountable device with improved balance to reduce user fatigue when using the device.  

Mount and Cable Management for Vision Pro

Apple's European patent filing relates to a mount that is attachable to a support, such as a headband or retention band, of a head-mountable device (HMD). The disclosed mount solves fundamental challenges faced by conventional HMDs by providing at least the following advantages. Firstly, the mount allows an accessory, such as an auxiliary battery, to be conveniently attached to the HMD. Secondly, the mount addresses the problem of an unbalanced weight distribution experienced by a user while wearing the HMD. Thirdly, the mount can include a cable management system or cable organizer that retains a cable or wire, thereby eliminating or reducing slack in the cable.

Given the power needs of head- mountable displays and current battery technology, a user may be required to charge the battery of the HMD several times a day, often interrupting use, and causing inconvenience to the user. The present invention provides means for an auxiliary or supplementary battery to be mounted to a headband of the HMD and to establish an electrical communication with the HMD.

Although the focus of the patent relates to the accessory being an auxiliary battery, it will be understood that the mount can be used for a variety of removable components and accessories. 

The mount can include a first attachment interface for coupling with the headband, and a second attachment interface for coupling with the accessory. The attachment interfaces can be mechanical (i.e., physical) and/or magnetic. In some examples, the attachment interfaces are actuated in response to an action (e.g., placing the accessory against the mount). In some examples, the mount can be permanently integrated into the headband and/or the accessory. Further details regarding the attachment interfaces are provided below.

The mount can also provide the advantage of a head-mountable device with improved balance to reduce user fatigue when using the device. The nature of head-mountable displays often requires that the bulk of the device is worn in front of the user’s eyes, meaning that the center of mass of the HMD is often positioned in front of the user’s face, off-axis of the user’s head. This can result in the user experiencing muscle fatigue or neck strain due to the rotational torque put on the user’s head and neck. The mount addresses this problem by providing a counterbalance to offset the weight of the HMD and bring the center of mass toward the center of the user’s head.

In some examples, the weight of the accessory held by the mount can be approximately equal to the weight of the HMD. Thus, a center of mass of the HMD assembly can be shifted from the user’ s face to the center of the user’ s head, thereby alleviating neck strain. In some examples, the mount is articulable or movable to change the position and orientation of the accessory, which can likewise change the center of mass of the assembly. In some examples, the weight of the mount itself can at least partially counterbalance the weight of the HMD.

In some examples, the mount includes a cable management system. For instance, a cable can be wrapped around the mount in order to take up the slack in the cable.

More specifically, the cable can be wrapped around a central shaft of the mount. In some examples, the mount includes one or more hangers or pegs around which the cable can be wound. Because the mount can position the accessory away from the user’s head, thereby creating a gap between the accessory and the user’s head, a volume may exist for the cable to be inserted.

In some examples, the mount can include a housing that defines an internal volume or cubby for the cable to be housed. In some examples, the assembly can include a retraction device that can reel or wind up the cable. For example, the mount can include a retraction device that reels up the cable inside a housing of the mount.

In some examples the retraction device includes a spool that can collect the cable. The cable management system can be incorporated into the HMD, the retention band, the mount, and/or the accessory. The cable management system can be located internally or externally.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 below is a top view of a possible future version of Vision Pro on a user's head with the accessory battery having new mount on the back of Vision Pro's head band.

2 Apple Vision Pro Battery Pack back mount

Apple's patent FIG. 3 above is a side of a possible future version of Apple Vision Pro with the battery sitting in the back band mount; Apple's FIG. C illustrates a top view of an alternative battery mount system, with FIG. 8D illustrating an alternative mount design where the battery could easily slide in or out of the frame. The mount's design in FIG. 3 provides for a more secure clasp design to lock the battery in place in a more secure manner.   

Apple's patent never clarified what the other possible accessories could be used beyond a battery.

To review its full details, review Apple's international patent application WO2023215248.

10.51FX - Patent Application Bar

Comments

The comments to this entry are closed.