Apple invents a Contact System for AR/VR Smartglasses that improves the stabilization of the eyewear during Sports, Active Gaming +
Anyone who wears glasses knows that they slip on your nose throughout the day and you almost unconsciously push them back into place with your finger. The lenses end up smudging your lenses causing you to clean them to see better. Of course with Apple's future smartglasses, that may be a thing of the past. An international patent from by Apple published yesterday titled "An eyewear system" describes a system that will ensure that your future smartglasses will be set on your nose correctly and secured tightly in position so that the eye tracking system and content is presented correctly to the user under varying conditions.
Apple notes in their patent background that glasses are used in many situations to protect and improve our eyes, such as for correcting eyesight, for shielding from UV light and glare, and for protecting eyes from possible injury at work or while playing sports. For those who need to wear glasses, especially for a long time, the comfort of the glasses is a significant consideration. For glasses to perform the intended function, a proper fit to the user's face is preferred. Every user has a different face shape. As such, glasses traditionally include nose pads so that the glasses are positioned correctly and can be adjusted or otherwise fit to the wearer's face.
However, glasses having nose pads can still easily slide down the wearer's nose due to sweat, as sweat is often unavoidable while the wearer works or exercises. When traditional nose pads fall from their original position, the wearer usually feels discomfort and is compelled to adjust the position of their glasses.
Further, the potential loss of glasses during sports or other activities can be troublesome because glasses can be expensive and active motion provides ample opportunity for the glasses to fall from the wearer's face. In an attempt to mitigate the problem of having glasses inadvertently come off, some designs include straps which attach to the glasses and which, to some degree, secure the glasses to the wearer and help prevent their loss. However, the straps can be uncomfortable and also do not address the constant adjustment due to glasses repositioning or slipping. Straps on the glasses can also be considered unfashionable.
An Eyewear System
Apple's invention covers an eyewear system, such as smartglasses, that include a contact system that improves the stabilization of the eyewear when worn. The system solves fundamenta1 challenges faced by conventiona1 glasses by providing at least the following advantages.
Firstly, the system allows greater control over lens placement. Especially for those involved in sports or an active lifestyle, wearers of glasses can constantly be adjusting the frames because glasses slip down the nose due to low friction nose pads or a lack of nose pads and sweat. The disclosed systems and methods are calculated to address the slipping of the frames.
Secondly, the eyewear systems and methods are comfortable to the wearer and fashionable. Other systems are available to ensure glasses stay in place on a wearers head. For example, eyewear having straps or that pinch the sides o1 the head are designed to prevent the eyewear from falling off, but are also either uncomfortable or unsightly. Some solutions envisioned to prevent slipping are obvious to others and too noticeable.
Thirdly, the eyewear systems and methods can be either static or dynamic.
Wearers of glasses can have a dynamic lifestyle. For example, the wearer can engage in an intense exercise routine in the morning prior to sitting comfortably at work and then again engaging in a sport activity after work.
Given the lifestyle of glasses wearers, an eyewear system for improved stabilization can include several innovations that incorporate smart features and/or advanced materials to provide additional grip with the nose of the wearer.
The eyewear system can include a static grip enhancement system for additional grip with a nose. In some examples, the static grip enhancement system can include a “smart” material that enhances grip.
In some examples the material can include a fabric and/or a coating that changes behavior based on water absorption. According to some examples, the static grip enhancement system can include a woven fabric. The nose pads can be removable and/or interchangeable or can be integrated with the lens frame.
In some examples, the eyewear system can include a dynamic grip enhancement system. The grip enhancement system can provide the advantage of changing the grip in response to conditions or as desired by the wearer. The wearer can know when slipping conditions are likely to occur and can adjust the system accordingly.
In other examples, the system can detect at least one condition when enhanced grip is requested and/or desired and adjust automatically. The eyewear system can include at least one sensor that can monitor a parameter that affects the grip of the nose pads with the wearer's nose. For instance, the sensor can include a counter that determines a number of adjustments of the frame by the wearer. In other words, the eyewear system detects when the grip should be strengthened based on the number of times that the frame slips down and needs to be corrected, and the eyewear system improves the grip of the grip enhancement system accordingly.
Apple's patent FIG. 1 below illustrates a front view of a wearer using an eyewear system (#100). The eyewear system can be used in a virtual reality and/or alternate reality (VR/AR) headset. In some examples, the assembly #102 can include prescription glasses.
In some examples, the assembly can be sunglasses and/or safety glasses. The assembly 102 can be configured for sports, active gaming, and/or high intensity activity.
Apple's patent FIG. 7 above illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the eyewear system #100 having a spring and/or piston #142 disposed in the lens frame #108. In some examples, the grip enhancement system #114 can use the spring to cause a pinch force between the nose pads #112 and the nose of the wearer.
In some examples, the spring can provide a variation in distance, “d”, between the nose pads. The distance “d” can vary between bout 2mm n and about 8mm. The variation in distance can cause the nose pads to grip the nose tighter. In other words, the eyewear system can adjust from a first configuration having a relatively longer distance “d” between the nose pads to a second configuration having a relatively shorter distance “d” between the nose pads.
In some examples, the spring can be controlled by an actuator (e.g., an actuator – see FIG. 5B below) The wearer can engage the actuator and cause the distance “d” to shorten. In other examples, the spring can be controlled by a sensor (e.g. , sensor #134 shown in FIG. 5A below). In response to a parameter, the grip enhancement system can cause the pinch force and improve the grip of the grip enhancement system.
In some examples, the assembly can include extendable earpieces connected to the lens frame #108. The extendable earpieces #144 and #146 shown in patent FIG. 7 above, can be integrated into the left and right arms of the smartglasses. In some examples, the shifting of the center of gravity of the assembly secures the assembly to the wearer.
In patent FIG. 3 below we see a cross-sectional view of a removable nose pad #112. In some examples, to ensure the grip enhancement system #114 is positioned as required, the nose pad can be interchangeable. In some examples, the nose pad can include a clamp, a snap, and/or a magnet to secure the nose pad to the lens frame #108.
Apple's patent FIG. 4A above shows a surface of the nose pad including a grip enhancement system; FIG. 4C shows a surface of the nose pad including a grip enhancement system for additional grip with a nose; FIG. 4E shows a surface of the nose pad including a grip enhancement system for additional grip with a nose.
Apple's patent FIG. 5A above illustrates a partial view of a nose pad of an eyewear system including a sensor; FIG. 5B shows a cross-sectional view of a nose pad including a grip enhancement system for additional grip with a nose and an actuator.
Apple's patent FIG. 6 above shows a partial view of an eyewear system including an eye-tracking camera.
For more details, review Apple's international patent application WO/2023/250458 published on December 28, 2023.
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