Head-mounted-display system including three-dimensional knitted layer

Abstract

A head-mounted-display assembly may include a knitted layer formed of a plurality of fibers and extending in three dimensions. The knitted layer may include (1) a first region having a first degree of at least one physical property, (2) a second region having a second degree of the at least one physical property, and (3) a transition region extending between the first region and the second region. The transition region of the knitted layer may progressively change in degree of the at least one physical property proceeding from the first region toward the second region. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A head-mounted-display assembly comprising:
 a knitted layer formed of a plurality of fibers and extending in three dimensions, the knitted layer comprising:
 a first region having a first degree of at least one physical property; 
 a second region having a second degree of the at least one physical property; and 
 a transition region extending between the first region and the second region, wherein the transition region of the knitted layer progressively changes in degree of the at least one physical property proceeding from the first region toward the second region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical property comprises at least one of rigidity, elasticity, flexibility, deformability, or bondability to at least one specified material. 
     
     
         3 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprises a plurality of yarns, each of the plurality of yarns comprising multiple fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the knitted layer comprises at least a portion of a display housing for mounting at least one head-mounted-display component. 
     
     
         5 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the knitted layer comprises at least a portion of at least one of a front-facing portion or a side portion of the display housing; and   the side portion of the display housing extends from the front-facing portion toward a viewing opening dimensioned to surround at least a portion of a user's face.   
     
     
         6 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first region of the knitted layer comprises a mounting region for mounting the at least one head-mounted-display component; and   the first region of the knitted layer has a higher degree of rigidity than the second region of the knitted layer.   
     
     
         7 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the knitted layer comprises at least a portion of a strap subsystem dimensioned to extend around at least a portion of a user's head. 
     
     
         8 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprises a first type of fiber and a second type of fiber that comprises a different material than the first type of fiber. 
     
     
         9 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first type of fiber and the second type of fiber comprises at least one of a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting material, or a curable material. 
     
     
         10 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first region of the knitted layer comprises a first proportion of the first type of fiber to the second type of fiber; and   the second region of the knitted layer comprises a second proportion of the first type of fiber to the second type of fiber, wherein the second proportion differs from the first proportion.   
     
     
         11 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first region has a first average layer thickness and the second region has a second average layer thickness that differs from the first average layer thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The head-mounted-display assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an electrical circuit is disposed in the knitted layer. 
     
     
         13 . A head-mounted-display system comprising:
 a knitted layer formed of a plurality of fibers and extending in three dimensions, the knitted layer comprising:
 a first region having a first degree of at least one physical property; and 
 a second region having a second degree of the at least one physical property; and 
   at least one electronic component mounted to the first region of the knitted layer.   
     
     
         14 . The head-mounted-display system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the at least one electronic component is mounted to the first region of the knitted layer by at least one of bonding or mechanical fastening; and   the first region of the knitted layer has a higher degree of rigidity than the second region of the knitted layer.   
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 knitting together a plurality of fibers to form a knitted layer of a head-mounted-display assembly, the knitted layer extending in three dimensions;   wherein the knitted layer comprises at least two regions which, when processed, cause:
 a first region to have a first degree of at least one physical property; and 
 a second region to have a second degree of the at least one physical property; wherein a transition region extends from the first region to the second region and progressively changes in degree of the at least one physical property proceeding from the first region toward the second region. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, during processing, at least a portion of the knitted layer is exposed to at least one of elevated heat, elevated pressure, light, radiation, or at least one chemical agent sufficient to modify the at least one physical property of at least the portion of the knitted layer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, during processing, at least a portion of the knitted layer is at least one of softened, melted, cured, or molded. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , the first region of the processed knitted layer is configured to have at least one head-mounted-display component mounted thereto. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one head-mounted-display component is mounted to the first region of the processed knitted layer by at least one of bonding or mechanically fastening the at least one head-mounted-display component to the first region of the processed knitted layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first region of the knitted layer comprises a first proportion of a first type of fiber to a second type of fiber; and   the second region of the knitted layer comprises a second proportion of the first type of fiber to the second type of fiber, wherein the second proportion differs from the first proportion.