Apple patents stretchable light-blocking covers for head-mounted displays
Apple describes a head-mounted device, such as a headset, that uses a flexible cover to block outside light from reaching the user's eyes. The cover stretches when the main part of the device moves relative to the side arms, using built-in slack to stay opaque without tearing.
In the filing’s own words
A head-mounted device may include a main housing portion and a temple housing portion. Displays in the main housing portion may be configured to present images that are viewable from eye boxes. A light-blocking cover may extend between the main housing portion and the temple housing portion and may be configured to prevent outside light from reaching the eye boxes. The light-blocking cover may have a stretchable outer fabric layer and an inner light-blocking layer formed from fabric or other suitable materials. The light-blocking cover may include slack in the inner light-blocking layer so that the inner light-blocking layer can accommodate movement of the main housing portion relative to the temple housing portion without sacrificing opacity. The slack may be heat-set, molded, or covered with a layer of elastic so that the slack returns to a retracted state within the temple housing portion after being expanded.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A head-mounted device, comprising: a housing having a main housing portion and a temple housing portion; a display in the main housing portion that is configured to provide an image viewable from an eye box; and a light-blocking cover that extends between the main housing portion and the temple housing portion and that is configured to block outside light from reaching the eye box, wherein the light-blocking cover moves between an expanded state and a retracted state as the main housing portion moves relative to the temple housing portion, and wherein the light-blocking cover has slack in both the expanded and retracted states so that an opacity of the light-blocking cover is not reduced in the expanded state.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Electronic devices with light-blocking covers
- Patent number
- US12769124B2
- Application number
- 18339687
- Filed
- Jun 22, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G02B 27/0172 Physics & computingG02B 27/0176 Physics & computingG02B 2027/0154 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AR, VR & displays
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.