Adlens Limited

Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC

Facebook Technologies, LLC

Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby

Robert Edward Stevens

Simon Peter Horrocks

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Andrew Alexander Herbert

Daniel Paul Rhodes

Hayden Erik Hernández

Jon Nisper

Alex Edginton

Benjamin Thomas Tristram Holland

Tom Worsley

Conor Briody

Maciej Mackowiak

David Mlynski

Thomas Worsley

A hybrid injection-compression variable focal power optical element, a variable focal power optical device including such a hybrid injection-compression optical element and an electronic control system, and an augmented reality headset including at least one group of optical elements including at least one such hybrid injection-compression optical element, a waveguide interposed therebetween for displaying a virtual image and an electronic control system.

Relating to variable focal power optical elements, a variable focal power optical device, a display module for an augmented reality headset and an augmented reality headset

A variable focusing power fluid-filled lens or minor assembly () comprising a fluid-filled envelope and a supporting structure () therefor; the fluid-filled envelope being constituted by a first wall that is formed of a distensible elastic membrane () having an exterior optical surface () of variable focusing power, a second wall () that is spaced from the first wall on a z-axis which is generally perpendicular to the membrane, and a collapsible peripheral side wall () that extends between the first and second walls (), and being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid (); a membrane holding structure () that is attached to a peripheral edge of membrane for holding the membrane under tension, the membrane holding structure defining a plurality of discrete control points spaced around the peripheral edge of membrane where the position of the peripheral edge of the membrane relative to the second wall on the z-axis is controlled and permitting bending of the peripheral edge of the membrane between the control points in a plane defined by the z-axis and a tangent to the peripheral edge of the membrane; the plurality of control points including a plurality of dynamic actuation points; and an actuation mechanism for displacing the edge of the membrane on the z-axis relative to the second wall at each of the actuation points to control the shape of the membrane; wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a plurality of first cam members () that are connected to the membrane holding structure and associated with respective actuation points, a cam belt disposed circumjacent the membrane which comprises a plurality of spaced second cam members (), each second cam member being engaged with a corresponding one of the first cam members for controlling the position of the edge of the membrane on the z-axis at the respective actuation point, a cam belt support () that supports the cam belt for bidirectional rotation around the z-axis relative to the membrane and a coupling () for drivably connecting the cam belt to a selectively operable driver ().

Variable focusing power optical devices

An adjustable fluid-filled lens or minor assemblycomprising a fluid-filled envelope and a supporting structure therefor; the fluid-filled envelope being constituted by a first wall that is formed of a distensible elastic membranehaving an exterior optical surface of variable focusing power, a second wallthat is spaced from the first wall on a z-axis, and a collapsible peripheral side wallthat extends between the first and second walls, and being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid; a membrane holding structurethat is attached to a peripheral edge of membranefor holding the membrane under tension; and one or more selectively operable actuator assemblies r, r, rfor moving one or more corresponding regions of the peripheral edge of the membrane on the z-axis towards and away from the second wallfor controlling the profile of the peripheral edge of the membrane; wherein the or each actuator assembly comprises a connecting memberthat is attached to the membrane or membrane holding structure at a respective actuation point, a linear actuatorthat is mounted to the supporting structure and a linkagethat is connected between the connecting member and an actuation point a, a, aon the linear actuator; wherein the linear actuator is a linear SMA actuator comprising an array of SMA wiresthat are coupled together to work in parallel and which extend transversely of the z-axis, and the linkage is configured for converting linear motion of the actuation point of the SMA actuator in a direction transverse the z-axis to linear motion of the connecting member on the z-axis, thereby to move the corresponding region of the peripheral edge of the membranetowards or away from the second wall

Or relating to variable focusing power optical devices

An augmented reality display unit for use in an augmented reality headset or the like comprising front and rear variable focusing power compression liquid lens assemblies () in mutual optical alignment on an optical axis (O), a transparent waveguide display () interposed between the front and rear liquid lens assemblies () and a selectively operable adjustment mechanism for adjusting the focusing powers of the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies (); wherein each of the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies () comprises a fluid-filled envelope () having a first wall formed by a distensible elastic membrane () that is held under tension around its edge by a peripheral support ring, a second substantially rigid wall () formed by or supported on an inner surface of a transparent plate or a hard lens of fixed focusing power, and a collapsible side wall (), the membrane forming an optical surface of variable optical power, and the adjustment mechanism being arranged to displace the support ring towards or away from the second wall parallel to the optical axis (O) for increasing or decreasing the pressure of the fluid () within the envelope thereby to cause the membrane to distend or contract respectively parallel to the optical axis for changing the focusing power of the optical surface of the membrane (); wherein the second wall () of the front compression liquid lens () is formed by or supported on a transparent plate or hard lens () which is tilted at a first angle to the optical axis to introduce a first amount of prism to a ray of light passing therethrough, and the second wall () of the rear compression liquid lens is formed by or supported on a transparent plate or hard lens () which is tilted at a second angle to the optical axis to introduce a second amount of prism to a ray of light passing therethrough, wherein the first and second amounts of prism are mutually substantially equal and opposite.

Augmented reality display units and augmented reality headsets comprising the same

Methods of filling an envelope () of a compression-type adjustable optical device (), such as a liquid lens or mirror, which is formed in part by a distensible membrane () having an exterior optical surface, with a substantially incompressible fluid () to a predetermined optical power or radius of curvature; the methods comprising pumping fluid into the envelope () under vacuum through a fluid supply conduit () in fluid communication with an interior of the envelope () while allowing air to escape from the envelope through a fluid overflow conduit () in fluid communication with the interior of the envelope (); continuing to pump fluid () into the envelope () to cause the membrane () to distend to an optical power of the optical device () that is greater than the predetermined optical power while allowing excess fluid () to escape from the envelope through the overflow device (); slowing or stopping the supply of fluid to the envelope (), thereby to allow the membrane () progressively to relax and monitoring the optical power of the optical device () until it falls to the predetermined optical power; removing the fluid supply conduit () and fluid overflow conduit (); and thereafter sealing the envelope (). Also disclosed is an overflow device having a deflector portion () and a filling device () for use in the methods of the invention.

Methods and assemblies relating to the manufacture of variable focusing power optical devices

Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane, a substrate, and a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate. One or more support structures may be configured to provide a guide path for an edge portion of the membrane, which may be an elastic membrane in tension. In some examples, a membrane includes a membrane polymer, such as a thermoplastic urethane polymer, and a polymer additive, such as an acrylate polymer. The polymer additive may reduce or substantially eliminate diffusion of the fluid into the membrane, which may increase the stability and performance of the fluid lens.

Modified membranes for fluid lenses

Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane, a substrate, and a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate. The membrane may have a spatial variation in at least one membrane parameter along a particular direction, that may compensate for gravity sag in the membrane of the fluid lens when the device is worn by a user. Examples also include related methods and systems.

Gravity sag compensation in fluid-filled lenses

An example device includes a fluid lens, where the fluid lens includes a membrane, a substrate, and a fluid located within an enclosure formed at least in part by the membrane and the substrate. The membrane may be an elastic membrane. The fluid may include an amount of an additive that is effective to appreciably reduce bubble formation within the fluid, such as when a negative pressure is applied to the fluid. In some examples, the additive may include particles, such as nanoparticles. The additive may include a thixotropic agent that helps to impart an appreciable thixotropic property to the fluid. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Fluid lens with low gas content fluid

Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane (that may be in elastic tension), a substrate, a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate, and a support structure configured to provide a guide path for an edge portion of the membrane, such as a membrane attachment at a periphery of the membrane. The guide path may be configured to greatly reduce (or substantially eliminate) changes in the elastic energy of the membrane as the membrane profile is adjusted. The guide path may be configured so that the elastic force exerted by the membrane is generally normal to the guide path for each location on the guide path. Adjustment of the membrane profile may include applying an actuation force that is normal to the elastic force exerted by the membrane. Various other methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Fluid lens with low energy membrane adjustment

An example device may include a fluid lens having a membrane assembly including a membrane and one or more membrane attachments, a substrate, a fluid located within an enclosure formed at least in part by the membrane and the substrate, and a support structure, attached to the substrate, including an actuation guide. The device may include an actuator mechanically coupled to the actuation guide and configured to change an orientation of the actuation guide relative to another device component, such as a substrate or frame. An example actuation guide may engage with the membrane attachment, and the movement of the membrane attachment along the actuation guide in response to the change in the orientation of the actuation guide may adjust an optical property, such as a focal length, of the fluid lens.

Moving guide actuation of fluid lenses

A membrane assemblyfor a variable focusing power optical assemblyis disclosed. The membrane assemblycomprises a distensible membranethat is held under tension around its periphery (boundary B) by at least one bendable support ringand one or more bending actuators, each comprising a selectively operable self-bending strip, which are attached contiguously to respective discrete sections of the support ringfor actively controlling the curvature of those sections of the support ring. Also disclosed is a variable focusing power optical assemblycomprising such a membrane assembly. Further disclosed is an article of eyewearcomprising at least one such variable focusing power optical assembly

Relating to variable focusing power optical devices and an augmented reality headset or helmet incorporating such a device

A membrane assembly () for a variable focusing power optical assembly () comprising a distensible membrane () that is held under tension around its periphery by at least one bendable support ring () and one or more curvature controllers () that are mounted to respective discrete sections of the support ring () for actively controlling the curvature of those sections of the ring in a plane (Btz) that is parallel to a z-axis normal to an (x,y) plane which is defined by the un-deformed support ring and tangential (t) to the periphery (boundary B) of the membrane. Also disclosed is a variable focusing power optical assembly () comprising such a membrane assembly, which has a compressible fluid-filled envelope having a first wall formed by the distensible membrane (), an inflexible second wall () opposite the first wall, the support ring () being held at a fixed distance from the second wall at hinge points that are spaced apart around the support ring () and being bendable towards or away from the second wall intermediate the hinge points on the z-axis which is substantially aligned or coincident with an optical axis of the optical assembly (), and a side wall () between the first and second walls that is collapsible to accommodate such bending; wherein the membrane () is arranged to distend in a direction towards or away from the second wall upon bending of the support ring () between the hinge points. In some embodiments, the second wall () may be formed by or supported on a surface () of a rigid body (), and the support ringmay be mounted on the rigid body () by support pins () at the hinge points. Also disclosed is an augmented reality headset or helmet () comprising an augmented reality display module () comprising two such variable focusing power optical assemblies () arrange one in front of the other in optical alignment with a waveguide display () interposed therebetween.

Variable focusing power optical devices and an augmented reality headset or helmet incorporating such a device

A deformable membrane assembly comprises a deformable membrane () in contact with a body of fluid () and a selectively operable adjuster for adjusting the pressure of the fluid () for causing distension of the membrane () in accordance with a predefined form. The membrane is held peripherally by a bendable supporting member () that is coupled to a fixed support by at least three engaging members () at spaced locations round the supporting member (). An engaging member () is provided at or proximate at least one point round the supporting member () where the profile of the supporting member () corresponding to the predefined form of the membrane () exhibits locally maximum or minimum curvature in the direction of distension of the membrane ().

Growing community of inventors

Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby